Do you also have a few dormant power banks collecting dust at home? I recently tidied up my room and realized that those power banks used for years have basically become ticking time bombs in the house. Many people think that as long as a power bank can still charge, it can be used indefinitely, but the truth is, power banks have a limited lifespan. Using them for too long can really lead to problems.

First, let’s talk about why these things break down. Power banks contain lithium batteries, which are consumables just like phone batteries. They are not heirlooms to be passed down. Under normal use, their average lifespan is about two to four years. Even if you hardly use it after buying, the chemicals inside the battery will gradually age over time. After exceeding this period, not only will the charging capacity decline, but safety risks will also increase significantly.

So how do you tell if your power bank needs to retire? You don’t need any specialized equipment—just look and feel. The first sign is the casing. If you notice the device is slightly bulging, deformed, or even has cracks, it means the internal battery has swollen. This is extremely unstable and must be stopped immediately. The second sign is temperature. A normal power bank will feel slightly warm, but if it gets hot during charging or you smell a plastic burning odor, the circuit or battery core has serious faults. The third sign is battery life. If it can’t be charged to full or shows full charge but then quickly drops to zero, the battery has aged and failed.

Once you confirm it’s broken, the most important thing is how to handle it. Never throw it in the trash—this is no joke. Trash trucks activate compressors to crush garbage, and if a lithium battery is crushed and exposed to air, it can catch fire or explode, posing danger to sanitation workers. The correct approach is to keep the device intact and not disassemble it yourself. Hand it over to recycling personnel. If the battery has swollen, be extra careful—wrap it separately in a bag, and when handing it over, inform the recyclers so they can handle it specially.

Although broken power banks have reached the end of their life, they can still be recycled for some value. Convenience stores now have recycling programs. 7-ELEVEN offers 8 yuan in shopping credit for every 0.5 kg collected, and FamilyMart gives 2 yuan off per battery, no weighing needed—more convenient. The amount isn’t large, but you can exchange it for drinks or tea eggs, making it both eco-friendly and cost-effective.

All I want is for you to check the power banks that have been sitting around at home for a long time. A simple inspection and recycling can eliminate safety hazards at home and help prevent danger to sanitation workers. It’s a small effort that can protect many people.