How to Dispose of Batteries
The rules differ sharply by battery type. Ordinary alkaline AAs are fine in household waste in most of the US. Lithium and rechargeable batteries are not — they're a genuine fire risk and are now a leading cause of fires at waste facilities. Home Depot, Lowe's and Staples all take rechargeables free. Here's what goes where.
The quick reference
| Battery type | Where you find it | Disposal |
|---|---|---|
| Alkaline (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) | Remotes, torches, toys | Household waste in most states — except California |
| Lithium-ion (rechargeable) | Phones, laptops, tools, e-bikes | ⚠️ Never in the bin. Retailer drop-off |
| Lithium primary (non-rechargeable) | Cameras, smoke alarms | ⚠️ Retailer or HHW drop-off |
| NiCd / NiMH (rechargeable) | Older cordless tools, older phones | Retailer drop-off — cadmium is toxic |
| Button / coin cells | Watches, hearing aids, key fobs | Retailer or HHW — see the swallowing warning below |
| Lead-acid (car batteries) | Vehicles | Auto parts store — free, often paid |
| Sealed lead-acid | Mobility scooters, UPS units, alarms | Auto parts store or scrap yard |
Lithium batteries — the one that genuinely matters
This is the part worth taking seriously. Lithium-ion batteries in waste streams are crushed by collection trucks and compactors. Damaged cells go into thermal runaway — an uncontrollable self-heating reaction that ignites — and they're extremely difficult to extinguish because the reaction supplies its own oxygen.
Waste and recycling facilities across the US and Europe now report lithium batteries as a leading cause of fires, and the numbers have risen sharply alongside e-bikes, vapes and cordless tools.
Where to take them free:
- Home Depot and Lowe's — collection bins near the entrance at most stores
- Staples and most electronics retailers
- Best Buy
- County household hazardous waste sites
- Call2Recycle drop-off points — a national network hosted at many of the above
Tape the terminals
Before you put any lithium or rechargeable battery in a bag or box, put clear tape over the terminals, or bag each one individually. Loose batteries touching each other or loose metal can short and ignite — including in your kitchen drawer, which is where most people store them while waiting to make the trip.
Swollen or damaged batteries
A puffy or swollen battery is failing and is a live hazard. Don't press it, puncture it or try to discharge it. Put it somewhere non-flammable and away from anything that matters — a metal container outdoors is ideal — and take it to a facility that specifically handles damaged lithium cells. Call ahead; not every drop-off point accepts them.
Alkaline batteries — less dramatic than you'd think
Ordinary AAs and AAAs haven't contained mercury since the mid-1990s. In most US states they can legally go in household waste, and most municipal guidance says so.
California is the exception — all batteries are classified as hazardous waste there and must go to a proper collection point.
Recycling them anyway is better where it's convenient, but the environmental case is much weaker than for lithium, and the fire risk is negligible. If your only options are a special trip or the bin, the bin is a defensible choice outside California.
Car batteries — the ones worth money
Lead-acid car batteries are the great recycling success story: roughly 99% of them are recycled in the US, and the system works because they're worth money.
- Auto parts stores take them free — AutoZone, O'Reilly, Advance, NAPA
- You'll often get a core refund, typically $5–$20, especially if you bought a replacement there
- Scrap yards pay for them, sometimes more than the core refund
- Never bin one. They contain several kilos of lead and a litre or more of sulphuric acid
Carry it upright and level. If a battery is cracked or leaking, put it in a plastic tub and handle it with gloves and eye protection — the acid is genuinely corrosive.
Button cells — a safety note worth reading
Coin and button batteries are a serious ingestion hazard for small children. A swallowed button cell can cause severe internal burns within a couple of hours, and lithium coin cells are the worst.
Keep used ones out of reach and dispose of them promptly rather than leaving them in a drawer. Tape the terminals — a "dead" button cell often retains enough charge to cause injury. If a child may have swallowed one, that's an emergency, not a wait-and-see.
Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes
Every disposable vape contains a lithium battery, which makes them one of the worst things to bin. They're increasingly implicated in waste truck fires precisely because people throw them away by the million.
Many vape shops now take them back, and they're accepted at battery collection points and household hazardous waste sites. Some jurisdictions have banned disposables outright over exactly this problem.
Common questions
Can I throw away AA batteries?
In most US states yes, in household waste — they no longer contain mercury. California requires all batteries to go to a collection point.
Is it illegal to throw away batteries?
For lithium, rechargeable and lead-acid batteries, most jurisdictions either prohibit it or classify them as hazardous waste. Enforcement against households is rare, but the fire risk is the real reason not to.
Where can I recycle batteries near me?
Home Depot, Lowe's, Staples and Best Buy all have collection bins at most stores, plus your county's household hazardous waste site. All free.
What do I do with a laptop or phone battery?
If it's removable, take it to a battery drop-off. If it's sealed inside the device, recycle the whole device — see our electronics guide. Don't try to prise a sealed battery out.
Why tape the terminals?
Loose batteries touching each other or metal can short circuit and ignite. It takes seconds and it's the single most useful safety step in battery disposal.
Related
Battery regulations vary by state and change. Retailer collection programmes and what they accept also change. Confirm before travelling. This page is general guidance, not safety advice for damaged batteries — if a battery is swollen, leaking or hot, contact your local hazardous waste service. Last verified August 2026.