Can You Recycle Batteries?
Yes, but not in your regular recycling bin. Batteries require special handling because they contain heavy metals and can cause fires. Take them to designated drop-off locations at hardware stores, electronics retailers, or municipal hazardous waste facilities.
Key Takeaways
- Different battery types have different recycling paths.
- Damaged or swollen lithium batteries are fire hazards—tape the terminals and take them to a hazardous waste facility, don't mail them.
- Store used batteries in a non-metal container with terminals facing the same direction to prevent short circuits.
Explanation
Different battery types have different recycling paths. Alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D) are accepted at many retailers including Home Depot, Lowe's, and Staples. Rechargeable batteries and lithium-ion batteries should go to Call2Recycle drop-off locations or electronics recyclers.
Car batteries have the highest recycling rate of any consumer product—about 99%. Auto parts stores and mechanics are required to accept old batteries when you buy new ones. The lead and acid are both recoverable and valuable.
Button cell batteries from watches and hearing aids contain silver and sometimes mercury. Many jewelry stores and hearing aid providers accept these for recycling. Some pharmacies also have collection programs.
Lithium-ion batteries—found in phones, laptops, power tools, and electric vehicles—are the fastest-growing recycling challenge. They contain cobalt, nickel, manganese, and lithium, all of which can be recovered. Companies like Redwood Materials and Li-Cycle are building large-scale facilities that recover over 95% of these critical minerals, which are then fed back into new battery manufacturing.
Improperly discarded batteries are a leading cause of waste facility fires. In 2022, lithium-ion batteries caused an estimated 400+ fires at U.S. recycling and waste facilities. When crushed in garbage trucks or compacted at landfills, damaged lithium cells can reach temperatures above 1,000°F in seconds. Taping exposed terminals with clear tape before disposal is a simple step that significantly reduces this risk.
Things to Know
- Damaged or swollen lithium batteries are fire hazards—tape the terminals and take them to a hazardous waste facility, don't mail them.
- Store used batteries in a non-metal container with terminals facing the same direction to prevent short circuits.
- Some alkaline batteries marketed as "safe for landfill" can technically go in trash, but recycling is still preferred to recover materials.
- Single-use lithium batteries (like CR2032) are harder to recycle than rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
- Nickel-cadmium (NiCd) rechargeable batteries contain toxic cadmium and are banned from landfills in many states—always recycle them through Call2Recycle or a hazardous waste program.