Lithium Battery Disposal and Recycling Guide

Lithium batteries, including lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, lithium-metal primary batteries, and battery-powered devices, should never be placed in household trash or curbside recycling. If crushed, punctured, overheated, or short-circuited, they can start fires and release hazardous materials.

This guide applies to household batteries found in phones, laptops, tablets, power tools, wireless headphones, Bluetooth speakers, cameras, vapes, e-bikes, scooters, and similar products. Large electric-vehicle battery packs require separate professional handling.

What to Do

1. Identify the battery type

Common lithium batteries include:

• Lithium-ion batteries: Rechargeable batteries in phones, laptops, tablets, power tools, e-bikes, rechargeable vacuums, cameras, and Bluetooth devices.

• Lithium-polymer batteries: Rechargeable batteries often used in wireless headphones, drones, smart devices, and portable electronics.

• Lithium-metal batteries: Nonrechargeable batteries used in some cameras, medical devices, key fobs, sensors, and specialty equipment.

• Built-in batteries: Batteries sealed inside a device, such as a smartphone, tablet, portable speaker, vape, smart watch, or rechargeable tool.

  
  

Check the battery label, device manual, packaging, or manufacturer website if you are unsure.

2. Keep lithium batteries out of trash and curbside recycling

Do not place lithium batteries or battery-powered devices in:

• Household trash

• Curbside recycling bins

• Loose battery collection bins that do not specifically accept lithium batteries

• Metal containers with loose batteries

• Fire pits, fireplaces, or incinerators

  
  

Lithium batteries can be damaged in garbage trucks, compactors, sorting equipment, and recycling facilities. EPA states that most end-of-life lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries may be hazardous waste because of their ignitability and reactivity. EPA Lithium Battery Recycling Regulatory Status and FAQs

3. Prepare batteries for drop-off

Only prepare batteries if they are in good condition and the receiving facility instructs you to do so.

For removable batteries:

• Cover exposed terminals with nonconductive tape, such as electrical tape.

• Place each battery in a separate plastic bag if requested by the collection site.

• Keep batteries away from keys, coins, tools, jewelry, and other metal objects.

• Store batteries temporarily in a cool, dry location away from heat, direct sunlight, children, pets, and flammable materials.

• Do not stack loose batteries together.

  
  

Do not remove a built-in battery unless the manufacturer or recycling facility specifically instructs you to do so. Take the entire device to an electronics recycler or hazardous-waste program that accepts battery-containing electronics.

4. Handle damaged batteries differently

A battery may be damaged if it is swollen, leaking, crushed, punctured, burned, hot, corroded, wet, has an unusual odor, makes hissing sounds, or is part of a recalled device.

Do not place a damaged, defective, or recalled battery in a normal retail battery-recycling bin.

Do not:

• Touch, crush, puncture, disassemble, charge, or attempt to repair the battery.

• Place it in household trash or curbside recycling.

• Put it in water, a freezer, or a sealed container unless directed by emergency personnel or the receiving facility.

• Mail or ship it unless an authorized program provides specific packaging and shipping instructions.

  
  

Keep people away from the battery and contact your local household hazardous-waste facility, fire department nonemergency line, manufacturer, or a battery recycler that specifically accepts damaged batteries.

If the battery is smoking, on fire, emitting sparks, becoming unusually hot, or creating an immediate danger, move people away from the area and call 911 or your local emergency number.

5. Where to take lithium batteries

Good-condition household batteries

For rechargeable household batteries in good condition, use:

• A local battery-recycling drop-off location

• A household hazardous-waste facility or collection event

• An electronics recycler that accepts batteries

• A participating retailer, if it confirms it accepts the battery type and size

• A manufacturer mail-back or take-back program

The Battery Network, formerly Call2Recycle, offers a locator for battery collection sites in the United States and Canada. Before visiting, confirm that the site accepts your specific battery chemistry, size, weight, and condition.

• The Battery Network Drop-Off Locator

• Call2Recycle Drop-Off Locator

Non-vehicle rechargeable batteries weighing less than 25 pounds and in good condition may be eligible for retail collection programs in some locations. Local rules and site acceptance vary. New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Lithium-Ion Battery Disposal Guidance

E-bikes, e-scooters, and other large batteries

E-bike, e-scooter, electric-moped, lawn-equipment, and other large lithium-ion batteries may not be accepted at regular retail battery drop-off boxes.

Contact:

• The manufacturer or retailer

• The local household hazardous-waste program

• A specialized e-mobility battery collection program

• An electronics recycler that specifically accepts large-format lithium-ion batteries

Ask whether the battery must remain in the device, whether an appointment is needed, and whether the battery is accepted if it is damaged or recalled.

Electric-vehicle batteries

Do not take an electric-vehicle battery pack to a household battery drop-off site. Contact the vehicle manufacturer, authorized dealer, EV repair facility, auto dismantler, insurer, or licensed EV battery recycler for instructions. EV battery packs are high-voltage systems and require professional evaluation, transport, and processing.

6. Where to get help

For questions about battery collection and damaged-battery handling, The Battery Network provides consumer assistance and collection-location information. Contact its customer service at 1-888-224-9764 or use its website locator. The Battery Network Call2Recycle damaged, defective, and recalled battery guidance

Key reminders

• Never place lithium batteries in household trash or curbside recycling.

• Do not remove built-in batteries unless instructed by the manufacturer or recycler.

• Cover exposed terminals on removable batteries if the receiving facility directs you to do so.

• Keep batteries away from heat, metal objects, and flammable materials.

• Do not use standard retail collection bins for swollen, leaking, crushed, hot, burned, or damaged batteries unless the site specifically accepts them.

• Use household hazardous-waste programs, electronics recyclers, manufacturer programs, or approved battery collection sites.

• Use professional guidance for e-bike, e-scooter, and electric-vehicle batteries.

Sources and Resources

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lithium Battery Recycling Regulatory Status and Frequently Asked Questions

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Used Household Batteries

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Frequently Asked Questions

• The Battery Network, Find a Battery Drop-Off Location

• Call2Recycle, Drop-Off Locator

• Call2Recycle, Damaged, Defective, and Recalled Battery Guidance

• New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, How Do I Dispose of Lithium-Ion Batteries?

  
  

Safety and Legal Notice

Connecting The Dots Project provides this guide for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not legal, technical, safety, environmental, recycling, waste-management, transportation, hazardous-materials, or emergency-response advice.

Battery collection rules, accepted battery types, size and weight limits, fees, preparation requirements, transportation restrictions, and recycling laws vary by location, battery condition, manufacturer, and receiving facility. Before transporting, recycling, or disposing of a lithium battery or battery-powered device, contact the manufacturer, local government or solid-waste authority, household hazardous-waste program, and receiving facility for current instructions.

Do not open, dismantle, puncture, crush, burn, charge, repair, move, transport, or handle a swollen, leaking, damaged, defective, recalled, burned, or overheating battery unless you are trained, authorized, and specifically instructed to do so by the manufacturer, emergency personnel, or receiving facility.

If a battery is smoking, on fire, emitting sparks, becoming unusually hot, or creating an immediate safety concern, move people away from the area and call 911 or your local emergency number. Do not attempt to open, puncture, move, or extinguish the battery unless directed by emergency responders.

Mention of any company, retailer, recycler, program, certification, or organization is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement, affiliation, recommendation, or guarantee of acceptance, service quality, safety, or environmental performance.

Connecting The Dots Project does not guarantee that this information is complete, current, accurate, or suitable for every battery or situation. Use of this guide is at the reader’s own risk.