Dispose of batteries safely (2024)

FAQs

How are batteries supposed to be disposed? ›

Waste batteries can always be recycled or taken to household hazardous waste collection points . To prevent fires from lithium-ion batteries, tape battery terminals and/or place batteries in separate plastic bags and never put these batteries in household garbage or recycling bins. On this page: Background.

You must take batteries to an authorized recycling center, a universal waste handler or a household hazardous waste disposal facility.

Recycle at home

If your local authority accepts batteries as part of their home recycling scheme there may be special instructions on how to put them out for collection - for example, place batteries in a clear plastic bag tied to your recycling bin.

Overview of the Rules

EPR mandates that all waste batteries to be collected and sent for recycling/refurbishment, and its prohibits disposal in landfills and incineration.

Think cadmium, lead, lithium, or sulfuric acid. If your old batteries end up in a landfill, pollutants like these can leak out and contaminate groundwater, damage fragile ecosystems, and potentially make their way into the food chain. Improperly thrown out batteries can even short-circuit, overheat, and cause a fire.

You should not put them in the trash, the safest way to dispose of Lithium batteries is to tape over the ends (or the connector) then put them into battery recycling bins in shops and supermarkets, Most of a lithium battery is recycleable.

Alkaline/Zinc Carbon/Zinc Air Batteries

These batteries are recycled in a specialized “room temperature,” mechanical separation process where the battery components are separated into 3 end products. These items are a) Zinc & Manganese Concentrate, b) Steel, c) Paper & Plastic.

Long lasting power: DurACell alkaline batteries are designed and developed for long lasting performance.

Batteries can be a fire risk when over-charged, short-circuited, submerged in water, or damaged. They should also never be disposed of in your household bin, as this can also cause fires.

How to dispose of battery operated toothbrushes? ›

Each local authority must also accept household WEEE and small batteries free of charge at its recycling facilities. All WEEE and waste batteries must be recycled and should not be placed in any of your household wheelie bins. Make sure you always recycle all your old electrical goods and batteries.

✔ Purchase a battery recycling kit at call2recycle.org/store or visit Earth911.org for recycling locations near you. ✔ Check the Recycle Coach app or dispose of in the regular trash. ✔ Take to your local drop-off location which accepts batteries for recycling.

Other battery systems also use alkaline electrolytes, but they use different active materials for the electrodes. Alkaline batteries account for 80% of manufactured batteries in the US and over 10 billion individual units produced worldwide. In Japan, alkaline batteries account for 46% of all primary battery sales.

Please don't put batteries or electrical items that contain batteries into any of your bins. This includes e-cigarettes or vapes, even those marked 'disposable'. As rubbish is processed it gets crushed. If a battery gets damaged it can cause a fire, either in the bin wagon or at the waste treatment facility.

Simply place your batteries in a 1-quart, zip-sealed, clear plastic bag and place it on top of your glass in your small, red, glass recycling bin on your regular recycling day.

When batteries are not properly disposed of, they can cause significant damage to the environment. Over time, the chemicals and heavy metals in the batteries can leak out and contaminate the soil and water. This can harm plants, animals, and humans who depend on these natural resources.

Yes, batteries can be recycled, but they should not be disposed of into your recycling bin. This is because batteries contain hazardous material that makes the recycling process a little more tricky. The methods involved in recycling your general, household waste are not advanced enough to recycle batteries correctly.