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I have always discharged them as low as the charger would take them, then cut all the leads individually at slightly different lengths (so they don't short) and dropped the battery in salt water for a few weeks. I kept the bucket of salt water out in the back yard where it could not damage anything. Long after the bubbles stop coming from the ends of the wires, or the battery, I fish it out, cut the leads to show fresh copper and check to confirm 0 volts. The battery is then thrown in the garbage. I suppose if the battery was fully charged when placed in the salt water, the leads could corrode off and the discharging could slow or stop, but this is not very likely. A battery damaged in a crash that could not be safely discharged using a charger or a light bulb may be best destroyed directly in the salt water, with a careful check that all the cells are at 0 volts before putting it in the garbage.
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