The majority of your flashlights are dangerous. Any device that requires you to handle cells is dangerous!
This message brought to you by LG:
http://www.staysafebattery.com/en/
I’m sold. Where do I get rid of all these cells?
Feel free to send them to me.
LG is getting sued by people who did dumb things with batteries. Part of their defense strategy is that they don’t intend them for consumer use. It’s a bit over the top, but their longer video does make a reasonable point: putting an 18650 with a damaged wrapper in your pocket with your keys is quite dangerous. If their recommendation was to not use cells with damaged wrappers, and not put loose cells in your pocket, it would be good advice.
I’m sure the LG corporate attorneys had something to do with that presentation. If you want to dispose of Li-ion Cells, you can take them to a recycling center. [I’m not saying they are actually recycled there]. Computer equipment retailers often can dispose of them.
LiIon batteries are dangerous, but I doubt they are as dangerous as a car (It kills lots of people each year).
As always it is a question about knowing the dangers and how to deal with them. In a car you do not drive fast on the wrong side of the road, with a LiIon battery you do not short it, overcharge it, draw too much current or charge a damaged battery (In both cases there are more dangers). And in both cases it is a good idea to stay away from offers that are too good to be true.
I don’t believe there is anyone currently recycling lithium ion batteries in the US, other than the DOE’s 20 million dollar test facility. It’s much cheaper to incinerate them, or put them in the landfill for now. Lithium ion cells contain no lithium metal, rather a lithium salt (LiPF6 and LiBF4) in the electrolyte.
You can kill lithium ion cells by putting them in a bucket of salt water (brine) for a day or two outdoors. Don’t confuse lithium batteries with lithium ion. Lithium batteries contain lithium metal and will react with water and create hydrogen. And we all know what happened to the Hindenburg.
” According to the U.S. government, lithium ion batteries aren’t an environmental hazard. “Lithium Ion batteries are classified by the federal government as non-hazardous waste and are safe for disposal in the normal municipal waste stream,” says Kate Krebs at the National Recycling Coalition. While other types of batteries include toxic metals such as cadmium, the metals in lithium ion batteries - cobalt, copper, nickel and iron - are considered safe for landfills or incinerators (Interestingly enough, lithium ion batteries contain an ionic form of lithium but no lithium metal) ”
Oh please! What kind of stupid is putting any battery in a pocket? They had the paranoia right down to the woman's voice!
Don't buy into the neurosis. You won't be in the high power flashlight hobby if you do.
I personally: don't leave chargers (or much of anything else electrical) unattended. 2. don't overdischarge. 3. for multi cell lights keep the batteries married for that light. I'v taken to marking them with the light and month of purchase. 4) mechanically lock out my lights when unattended or (depends on switch) when it goes in a pocket, since I don't want burntballs!
And last: Don't buy junk. Stick with recommendations here and buy good cells. If you buy from a reputable U.S. (hint) dealer he'll recommend the best batteries for the particular light. Almost everyone will agree that the Samsung 30q's are good, and they are. My lights definitely fly higher, faster and farther with them.
Hope this helps.
People do put batteries in their pockets. That’s why LG is getting sued. All of them I know about have been vapers. Sometimes people think things that aren’t true, like the presence of a protection circuit makes it safe to put loose batteries in a pocket (anything scratching through the wrapper bypasses the protection circuit).
Unless you don’t get out much you would see all kinds of stupid. 
I imagine one doesn’t have to travel more than 5 minutes away from the house before you spot stupid. It’s easy to spot. They usually have a existing injury or are about to get one. Walmart seem to be the club they all belong to.
And when something bad does happen, they can’t remember the phone number for the national emergency hotline (911).
Had it happen, “please call 911”. “what’s the number, what’s the number” speaking in a frantic voice. 
:person_facepalming:
How to dispose of them? Give them away to a BLFer in need. 
Sometimes I do ....
For pocket carry, but still no keys in the same pocket 
Or how about these?
Then you can put your batteries and your keys in the same pocket.
Old news…
Methinks OP forgot to engage SARCASM FONT
slmjim
Looks like it is back to candles and carbide
Those clear plastic cell holders pop open too easy and are not water proof. I have some Delrin cell carriers with a screw on top that are virtually water proof, countycomm.com carries them. I’ve also made my own from clear polycarbonate. This is the ONLY way a Li-ion cell goes in my pocket, seriously protected. (I do have a spare 10440 on my keychain, in a custom made Titanium and Copper battery bunker made by Photon Fanatic… it is for the Texas Poker I’ve had around my neck for almost 7 years, also by Photon Fanatic, and yes, the battery bunker has had a live cell in it on my keychain in my pocket for 7 years as well)
trade house fires and acetylene gas explosions for venting with flame.