You can’t just throw away batteries in the trash, nor can you recycle them with normal bottles and plastic. Make sure to recycle them properly for the environment.
Dealing with batteries can be difficult. We all know how harmful battery acid can be to our gadgets and ourselves; of course, that also means it’s dangerous to the environment. Batteries that end up in landfills can release toxins into the air and nearby water sources, and recycling them not only prevents that but also allows manufacturers to reuse the materials.
However, recycling batteries isn’t as easy as throwing them in the recycling can, given the danger of acid or exploding. It may take a few extra steps, but it’s worth disposing of or recycling batteries properly to help preserve the environment.
While most batteries should be recycled, the exceptions are alkaline batteries. Most alkaline batteries are common household batteries (AA, C, D, and so on) that are non-rechargeable and non-recyclable. However, if you’re not sure if your batteries are alkaline or lithium-based, you can take them in with the ones you’re recycling to double-check.
The seven methods listed below will take most (if not all) of the guesswork of recycling batteries for you, so make sure to take advantage of them!
1
Battery Pick-ups
Depending on your city or county, you can sometimes recycle batteries similarly to how you’d handle the rest of your recyclables. Recycling trucks may pick them up from the curb on certain days, or you might be able to call and schedule someone to come by and grab them. In certain cases, the county will even provide the containers to place them in to make both your and the recycling workers’ jobs easier.
But make absolutely sure that your county does this before you start putting your batteries out on the curb—it isn’t ideal to leave batteries outside for too long, and it can even be dangerous if a battery is at risk of leaking acid. Don’t mix the batteries in with the other recycling either; they still need to be separated even if recycling will pick them up today.
2
County Drop-off Days
Many counties will have specific drop-off days for people to head to special sites and drop off batteries for recycling. When they are, how often they’re held, and where the pick-up location(s) these events are at will vary a lot by location, so check in with your county’s website to see when you can drop them off.
3
Dedicated Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Sites
Some counties will have dedicated hazardous waste drop-off sites, which will include batteries. So, instead of making the trip out to your area’s recycling center, you’ll be able to drop off batteries and other hazardous household waste (such as paints, chemicals used in pools, and so on) at one of these sites. Some of them may have employees to assist people with recycling the waste, while others may be unmanned drop-off sites.
Whether one or more of these sites exist in your area will depend on several factors, including state laws. For example, Florida is required to have at least one of these drop-off sites in every county. If you’re searching for a place to recycle batteries in your area, you will typically find them in the Google Maps results—not all of them will have a website like the department stores below might.
Related
Here’s Why Lithium AA Batteries “Fail” Out of the Blue (And What to Do About It)
Sometimes it’s just bad chemistry.
4
Home Depot or Lowe’s
If you’re unsure of how your county handles recycling batteries, you can head to Lowes or Home Depot to recycle them instead. Both of the hardware department store chains offer services to help recycle and other hazardous household waste, making them a great option if county-specific options are limited or too far away.
Both chains also have a lot of information on their websites about what sort of batteries they take, how to prepare anything you’re bringing in for recycling, and more, so be sure to check their sites out for more information.
5
Best Buy
Best Buy is another great option for dropping off old devices. All Best Buys allow you to recycle three items a day, from TVs to appliances to smart home equipment, and you can even get some in-store deals for recycling certain tech. If you don’t live near a Best Buy, there are even mail-in services available.
However, before heading over, you may want to call your Best Buy to see if they take batteries for recycling. While Best Buy only mentions that California Outlets can’t accept batteries, others have encountered problems trying to turn in their old batteries recently. That said, recycling all of your old technology is a good practice, so it’s worth keeping the option in mind in the future.
6
Other Department Stores
Depending on where you live, there are more department stores that can recycle old batteries. For example, if there is a Batteries Plus near you, the store will take a wide variety of battery types off your hands. AutoZone, meanwhile, will take any used car batteries and give you a $10 gift card for doing so.
Staples will only accept rechargeable and single-use batteries (so not anything like a laptop battery), but the latter is a new service, so it may not be available at every location. Like Best Buy, you can also get deals for recycling batteries and other old devices with them.
As always, call your local store before heading over so you don’t waste a trip if a store doesn’t accept your battery type.
7
Your Local Recycling Center
If you can’t figure out when or where you can drop off batteries in your county, or the department store options are limited or too far away, you can never go wrong with simply going to your local recycling center to drop off your used batteries. Most recycling centers will take most batteries and hazardous materials off your hands, and unlike most of the other methods listed above, you don’t need to figure out any specific days or special times to do so.
While recycling batteries may take a few extra steps to accomplish, many places make it so the process isn’t too difficult, and you’ll be sure that you’re helping the environment by doing so.
