At the age of 18, Abhinav Mehta helped build a student-led battery recycling network that collected and recycled over 23,000 used batteries. The initiative began with a small collection bin placed in a corner of his school's common space. Mehta noticed that used batteries are often thrown in the trash instead of being properly recycled. He learned that batteries in landfills can release harmful materials and pose safety risks.
According to Youth Service America, his organization, Batteries4Better, now has more than 250 volunteers active in 10 regional chapters. Volunteers organize collection drives, build partnerships at the school and community levels, and educate the public on battery recycling. Mehta established Batteries4Better as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization as the project grew beyond the boundaries of his school.
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