Abstract: Waste material, consisting of collected nickel-cadmium or nickel-hydride cells, after a preliminary reduction in size, is subjected to a subsequent grinding reduction in size and is then screened. The screen coarse fraction (G) is separated into a light fraction (L) and a heavy fraction (H) by means of an air separation, and the later fraction (H) is magnetically separated. The light fraction (L) and the non-magnetic portion (HN) are dried and screened in order to free the non-metallic components (P,PPW) from the predominantly metallic fine portion (S) and so that they can be divided out as a harmless product. The magnetic portion (HM) is mechanically scoured (8) and possibly washed, whereby one obtains a smeltable Ni--Fe mixture. The screen fine fraction (F) and the fine portion (S) resulting from the processing of the coarse fraction (G) are dissolved in thinned acid (HCL).