Battery recycling

You can recycle your batteries with your brown or blue recycling bin.

Why should I recycle my batteries?

Recycling your batteries means that the hazardous materials in them don't go into landfill. It also reduces the risk of  the fires that can happen if you put them into your grey waste bin.

Batteries can be recycled into new materials like fertiliser, plastics and ceramics. Some battery parts can be used to make new batteries.

How to recycle your batteries

  • Put your used batteries into any strong, clear plastic bag (new or used). Good examples of bags are sandwich bags, freezer bags or old bread bags
  • When the bag is full, or when there are at least 10 batteries in it, seal the bag up
  • On your next recycling day, put your bag of batteries on the lid of your blue or brown bin, or by the side of your green box. Please don't put them into the bins or the box. We need to collect them separately

What types of batteries can I recycle this way?

You can recycle AAAA, AAA, AA, A, C, D, Button cell, laptop and mobile phone batteries this way.

What types of batteries can I not recycle?

We can't take car batteries or any other large batteries.

If you can’t safely remove the battery for example in an e-cigarette or electric toothbrush, recycle the device with the battery inside using the small electricals container at household waste recycling centres.

How to store batteries safely

  • keep them somewhere clean, dry and out of direct sunlight
  • never store batteries which are damaged or leaking
  • reduce the risk of short circuiting by covering the terminals on lithium and button cell batteries with sticky tape
  • remove any trailing wires

What if my battery collection is missed?

If you've put some batteries out and they don't get collected, you can: