Where to Recycle Batteries: Alkaline, Rechargeable, Lithium and Car

Updated 2026-09-25. General guidance only: local rules vary, so check with your county or the facility.

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Batteries are small, but they cause outsized problems when they end up in the wrong place. Lithium batteries in particular start fires in garbage trucks, recycling plants and landfills every year. The good news is that most batteries are easy to recycle once you know which kind you have.

Know your battery types

Single-use alkaline and zinc-carbon (AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt). These are the everyday batteries in remotes, toys and flashlights. Many communities allow them in household trash, but some states and cities require all batteries to be recycled, so check your local rules. Recycling them is never the wrong choice.

Rechargeable batteries. This group includes nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and small sealed lead batteries. They're found in cordless phones, older power tools, emergency lights and rechargeable AA packs. These should be recycled rather than trashed, because they contain metals that don't belong in a landfill.

Lithium-ion and lithium polymer. These power phones, laptops, tablets, e-cigarettes, power banks, cordless tools, e-bikes and scooters. They hold a lot of energy and can overheat or ignite if crushed, punctured or shorted. Never put them in the trash or a curbside recycling cart.

Lithium primary (non-rechargeable). Coin cells like CR2032 and camera batteries like CR123A. Small, but still able to spark if their terminals touch metal.

Button cells. Watch, hearing-aid and calculator batteries. Some contain silver or mercury. They're also a serious swallowing hazard for children and pets, so store used ones out of reach.

Car and other lead-acid batteries. Vehicle, motorcycle, boat and lawn tractor batteries contain lead and sulfuric acid. They are among the most recycled products there are, and they should never go in the trash.

Tape the terminals

Before you store or drop off batteries, prevent short circuits:

Put clear tape over the terminals of lithium, rechargeable and 9-volt batteries, or over both sides of coin cells.
Or bag each battery individually in its own small plastic bag.
Store them in a cool, dry container that isn't metal, away from anything flammable.

A loose 9-volt battery rolling around in a junk drawer with paper clips is a genuine fire risk.

Damaged, swollen or hot batteries

A lithium battery that's puffed up, cracked, leaking, smells odd or feels warm needs extra care. Don't charge it or keep using it. If it's still in a device and you can't safely remove it, leave it in place. Put it on a non-flammable surface such as concrete, away from anything that can burn, and call your household hazardous waste program or the drop-off site before bringing it in. Many regular battery bins can't accept damaged batteries.

Where batteries usually go

Retail drop-off bins. Many hardware, home improvement, electronics and office supply stores host bins for rechargeable and sometimes single-use batteries. What each store takes varies.
The Call2Recycle network. The largest US battery collection network, now operating as The Battery Network, lists public drop-off points. Use the official Call2Recycle locator.
Household hazardous waste facilities and events. These typically take every household battery type, including damaged ones when arranged in advance.
Transfer stations and recycling centers. Some have a battery collection point, especially for car batteries.
Car batteries: auto parts stores and battery retailers. Stores that sell car batteries commonly accept old ones. Many charge a "core" deposit when you buy a new battery and refund it when you bring the old one back.

Batteries built into devices

Phones, laptops, electric toothbrushes and vapes often have batteries you can't remove. Take the whole device to an electronics recycler, a retailer take-back program or an HHW event. Tell them it contains a lithium battery. For e-bike and scooter batteries, ask the manufacturer or the shop that sold it first, since many general bins aren't set up for large packs.

Why the rules vary

Battery rules are a patchwork. Some states have product stewardship laws that require manufacturers to fund collection. Others leave it to counties and retailers. Local landfill and trash-hauler contracts also shape what's allowed. That's why the answer for a AA battery can differ between neighboring towns, while the answer for lithium and car batteries is the same almost everywhere: recycle them, don't trash them.

Quick checklist

Sort by type: single-use, rechargeable, lithium, button, lead-acid.
Tape terminals or bag batteries individually.
Set aside anything damaged or swollen and call ahead about it.
Car batteries go back to a battery retailer or a site that lists them.

Show battery and hazardous waste drop-offs on the map, or read where to recycle batteries, including lithium and car batteries.

Find a place near you

Open the map with batteries + hazardous waste switched on, or only show listings that mention household batteries (fewer results, because most listings don't list materials). You can also estimate weight and cost with the dump cost calculator.