Are rechargeable batteries better for the environment if you recycle all your batteries anyway?

NiMH batteries last far longer than alkalines in most applications (2-5 times longer in some cases, like digital cameras), so the immediate benefit for you is fewer battery swaps per use. This is the main reason digital camera users make the switch.

But besides the battery itself, your use of new alkalines generates other landfill waste, such as packaging, and the other expenditures involved in manufacturing them and getting them to the store and ultimately your home. There's also the waste and energy loss associated with reclaiming the metals and chemicals in the old batteries you recycle. So in general, yes, rechargeables are better.

The chemicals in NiMH and lithium rechargeables are just as recyclable and just as hazardous to the environment, by the way, so don't forget to recycle them too!

The advantage to rechargeable batteries is that they can last years so there are many fewer batteries in the landfill. I'm not aware of recyclable batteries, so using fewer is the better idea.

There's an energy cost in recycling. Re-chargeable batteries amortizes that cost.

rechargeable are best