Safely disposing of batteries
95% of battery components can be recycled into new products, but they don’t belong in your kerbside bins.
Why batteries can be dangerous
Batteries don’t belong in either of your kerbside bins as the chemicals and heavy metals they contain are hazardous to our environment. When they end up in landfill, they can leech these toxic materials into the earth and waterways, hurting plants and animals in the area.
If a battery gets crushed or pierced by the other contents of a waste collection truck or machine at a waste facility, or a battery terminal (the metal parts that connect to the device) touches a metal surface and creates sparks, it can start a fire. This creates unsafe working conditions for the workers that transport and handle your waste.
Multiple fires happen every week in collection trucks in NSW due to batteries or other flammable materials being put in kerbside bins.
How to safely recycle batteries
Store your old household or lithium batteries in a glass container with sticky tape over the battery terminals. Covering the terminals with tape prevents them from rubbing up against other terminals or materials that could spark and cause a fire.
Small lithium batteries are often found in phones, tablets and appliances. If a lithium battery is built into the device and isn't designed to be removeable, please do not attempt to remove it. Instead, leave it as is and recycle the whole device as e-waste via Council’s recycling and waste depots.
Where to take your batteries for recycling
Batteries can be recycled in two ways. You can either take them to a Community Recycling Centre or to a business participating in the B-Cycle program.
Find a Community Recycling Centre
Find a B-cycle drop-off point