In recognition of Earth Day 2013, from now until April 19, AAA Tidewater Car Care Centers, including the one on Bridge Road in Suffolk, are accepting dead automobile batteries and used child safety seats for recycling.

Anyone bringing in a battery or seat will receive a $5 gift card for helping AAA clean up the environment.

Although about 97 percent of vehicle batteries are recycled, the remaining 3 percent add up to millions of pounds of lead and gallons of sulfuric acid that can be discharged into the environment, creating health and safety hazards for humans and animals, as well as a potential fire hazard, AAA officials stated in a press release announcing the program.

Nationally, AAA has recycled more than 2 million automotive batteries and continues to promote the environmental importance of recycling this essential automotive part that 100 million U.S. motorists replace each year.