Battery recycling

Look around your home. Many common household items use batteries – items such as laptop computers, mobile phones, cordless phones, power drills, torches, toys, shavers, watches, clocks, cameras, smoke alarms, audiovisual equipment and remote controls for TVs, DVDs and air conditioners all use batteries.

At the moment, the only batteries that can be recycled in Australia are lead acid batteries, most commonly found under the bonnet of your car. All other types of batteries are either sent to landfill or sent overseas to be recycled.

Getting the most out of batteries

Batteries work by generating an electric current based on the chemical reaction between two elements. Sometimes, these elements, such as mercury or silver oxides, can be toxic if sent to landfill.

When considering battery use, the philosophy of “reduce, reuse, recycle” should apply.

Firstly, reduce your battery use. Generally, items that require batteries don’t use a lot of energy, so it might be better to run them on mains power instead. If you have to use batteries, then consider using reusable, or rechargeable batteries if they are appropriate for the device (check first). Finally, try to select batteries that can be recycled to reduce your impact on the environment.

How to...dispose of a dead battery

In some cases, there is simply no choice but to throw out your battery to landfill. Your standard single-use AA, AAA, C and D cell batteries cannot be recycled at the moment, and are safe to go to landfill.

Recycle

In general, only batteries that can be recharged are suitable for recycling. This includes the lead-acid batteries that you use in your car. Service stations and car battery retail outlets will generally accept car batteries as a trade-in on a new battery, or you can take the old battery to a metal or battery recycler.

Do not empty out the battery acid before delivering the batteries to a collector.

Batteries containing cadmium, a heavy metal that is sometimes used in rechargeables (like old mobile phone batteries) should always be recycled and never be thrown out.

For most modern electronic devices, such as mobile phones and iPods, you should return the item to your supplier to have the battery replaced.

Other batteries to take to recyclers

There are two types of non-rechargeable batteries that should be taken to a battery recycler rather than thrown out – silver oxide and mercury oxide.

These batteries contain metals that are harmful to the environment and are considered to be a hazardous waste. Silver oxide batteries should be accepted back for recycling by manufacturers, battery retailers, jewellers and watchmakers. Mercuric oxide batteries have not been made since the 1990s due to their toxic mercury content, but any remaining batteries should be accepted back by the manufacturer, battery retailers and equipment manufacturers.

Disposal

Most other battery types are suitable for disposal through normal waste. This includes common household alkaline (AA, AAA, C etc) and carbon-zinc (heavy duty) batteries.

These batteries are considered non-hazardous waste and are safe for disposal in your kerbside bin. You should make sure with lithium batteries that the charge is completely run down, as most lithium batteries contain an electrolyte that is toxic and flammable.

If you are uncertain whether your battery should be recycled or not, contact your nearest battery recycler.