Tempers are running high over the Coast Guard's belated effort to recover thousands of old batteries, containing toxic materials, which it dumped between the 1920s and the 1970s in waterways all over the country.

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Al Terrile, a 69-year-old retired Southport resident, stocked up on batteries, a box of firewood and a light at the hardware store.

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And, even if the batteries die, you can still use the old standby: an actual key.

ENGADGET

With no control rods to jam, they are far safer than the old models -- you might well call them nuclear batteries.

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This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Bernard, who wants an answer to the age-old question of ensuring you get the most out of your batteries.

ENGADGET

And as I understand it, the reason Kathleen made this decision was she could not be confident that a 10-year-old or an 11-year-old go into a drugstore, should be able -- alongside bubble gum or batteries -- be able to buy a medication that potentially, if not used properly, could end up having an adverse effect.

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