Lithium-in battery fires cause almost one fire every day in Victoria. Here’s what causes lithium-ion battery fires, plus how to prevent them.
Safety
How to safely dispose of batteries for recycling
Batteries are found throughout the home, powering mobile phones, laptops, toys, power tools and even the house and EVs. But batteries are also the most common form of household hazardous waste, and must be recycled once no longer useful. Here’s a guide to their safe disposal.
Batteries are classified as electronic waste (e-waste) and are banned from landfill in Victoria. As such, batteries cannot be placed in household bins or recycling bins, but must be handled carefully and taken to a designated drop-off point for safe recycling due to their hazardous nature and the fire risk associated with them.
This includes:
- Single-use batteries used in remote control units, kids’ games, smoke alarms and many other items in your home.
- Rechargeable batteries found in mobile phones, cameras, laptop computers and power tools.
- Lead-acid batteries found in cars, boats and other products.
- High-voltage lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs) and for storing electricity generated by rooftop solar systems.
All these types of battery can be recycled, bringing significant environmental benefits. However, you need to be aware that different schemes are in place – often with different collection points (not at the kerbside) – for each product category.
This guide will help you safely manage and responsibly dispose of all the batteries in your home.
In this article
- Where to recycle regular household batteries
- Batteries accepted at B-cycle collection points
- Safely storing and transporting used household batteries
- Recycling mobile phones and accessories
- Recycling computer batteries, laptops and TVs
- Recycling car batteries and other lead-acid batteries
- Recycling electric vehicle (EV) and home energy storage batteries
Phones, tablets and charging accessories can all be recycled, but there may be different drop-off locations for each device. Image: Getty
Where to recycle regular household batteries
It’s free to recycle regular household batteries. You'll find drop-off points across Victoria (and other states and territories), including major supermarket chains, large hardware stores, various other retailers and organisations, and sometimes schools.
To find the nearest drop-off point, enter your location online at the government-supported Battery Stewardship Council’s B-cycle (battery recycling) website. This will bring up a map and details of the battery recycling drop-off points in your area. You can also call 1300 853 820.
Many councils run their own e-waste recycling programs. Check your local council websites for information.
Batteries accepted at B-cycle collection points
The types of batteries accepted at B-cycle drop-off points include:
- Regular AA and other sizes – D, C, AAA, AAAA, 9V, 6V lantern, etc.
- Button batteries – small coin-sized batteries used in remote controls, watches, games, head torches, hearing aids, etc.
- Rechargeable batteries – standard-size handheld rechargeable batteries of all chemistry types up to 5kg. This should include most e-bike batteries, which are typically 5kg or less.
- Easily removable batteries – these are batteries that can be easily removed from various products such as power tools and digital cameras.
They will NOT accept the following batteries:
- Mobile phone batteries.
- Computer batteries or TVs.
- Lead-acid batteries (eg. a car battery).
These batteries are collected by other operators, working under different industry schemes, which are covered in separate sections below.
Safely storing and transporting used household batteries
When storing depleted regular household batteries and transporting them to a recycling point, it’s recommended that you:
- Carefully tape the terminals of the batteries using clear sticky tape.
- Keep them in a glass container that is NOT airtight (to avoid air pressure building up).
- Avoid using metal containers, or placing used batteries with metal objects, as this could create a fire hazard.
- Store batteries in a cool, dry position, well away from heat sources such as cooktops and ovens.
- Keep batteries well away from children. Be especially vigilant with small batteries, such as button batteries.
- Place any leaking batteries in a zip-lock bag. Damaged batteries should be placed in a fireproof container or blanket and taken to a council depot or transfer station.
- Transport directly to the drop-off point, not leaving them unattended in the car.
Laptop computers and their batteries can be easily recycled through a dedicated government-supported scheme. Image: Getty
Recycling mobile phones and accessories
The Australian telecommunications industry has established a free, not-for-profit recycling program for mobile phones, chargers and other accessories. Known as MobileMuster, the scheme accepts all brands of phone and related accessories.
Drop-off points are found at Optus, Telstra and Vodafone retailers, plus other outlets and organisations, such as Salvos Stores. You can search for your nearest collection point on the MobileMuster website.
You can also mail back your phone and accessories for free; the website has all the details. It also provides information on removing data from your phone before recycling. What’s more, Optus, Telstra and Vodafone stores will also accept the following products for recycling:
- Modems, home landline phones and TV streaming devices.
- Smart speakers and smart digital hubs (eg. Apple, Amazon, Google products).
- Smartwatches and tracking tags (eg. Apple, Amazon, Google products).
The scheme does NOT accept:
- Loose mobile phone batteries.
- Computers, laptops, tablets (including iPads) or TVs.
More: How to get coverage for your mobile phone with contents insurance
Recycling computer batteries, laptops and TVs
The growing e-waste problem in Australia has also seen the establishment of the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) that provides designated collection points for computers, TVs, printers and peripherals (keyboards, scanners, web cameras, hard drives, etc). The drop-off locations include retail outlets and local council waste transfer stations or resource recovery centres.
You can find computer and TV recycling collection points by using the search function on the government-funder Recycle Mate website. The database on Planet Ark’s ‘Recycling Near You’ website is also a handy resource.
Not all drop-off points are part of the NTCRS, so fees may be charged at some locations. Contact your local council or specific providers for details.
More: How to get coverage for your laptop with contents insurance
The vast majority of materials used in car batteries can be fully recycled when they reach the end of their life.
Recycling car batteries and other lead-acid batteries
Lead-acid batteries used in cars, caravans, motorcycles, boats, ride-on mowers, large appliances (such as air-conditioning units) and other products should all be recycled and must not be sent to landfill.
As with any other battery, they are considered hazardous when they reach the end of their life and must be disposed of responsibly. About 97 per cent of the materials used in lead-acid batteries can be fully recycled and turned into new products, including new batteries.
Your local battery retailer or supplier will often freely accept a used lead-acid battery for recycling when you purchase a new one. RACV’s battery replacement service is affiliated with a recycling operation, for example, while other collection points include car servicing and repair centres, associated automotive outlets (such as tyre shops, auto electricians), scrap metal dealers, service stations and council waste transfer stations.
You can check with outlets such as these, including your local council, while Century Yuasa has also established a national network of Battery Recycling Centres for environmentally responsible collection and recycling of used lead-acid batteries. A search function is provided on Planet Ark’s ‘Recycling Near You’ website.
More: What you need to know about car batteries
Recycling electric vehicle (EV) and home energy storage batteries
There are currently no regulations in Australia, or a government-supported industry stewardship scheme, to ensure high-voltage batteries used in electric cars are recycled when they reach the end of their life or are damaged in a crash.
However, most car brands selling EVs in Australia have partnerships in place with recycling companies, which can repurpose them for stationary batteries to power homes and other buildings or use the materials to create other products – including new EV batteries.
As more EVs are sold over the coming years, and more Australians include batteries with their home rooftop solar systems, the focus on high-voltage battery recycling will intensify. In turn, the higher numbers may also help current recycling operations become more viable.
Members of Australia’s Electric Vehicle Council include battery recycling companies, while the Association for the Battery Recycling Industry also represents EV battery recyclers. They are among the industry bodies and other organisations working with governments to keep EV and high-voltage home batteries out of landfill.
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
