Batteries

Why is recycling batteries important?

Batteries contain a variety of hazardous materials. If not disposed of properly, these toxic materials can enter our environment and harm human health and wildlife. Batteries can also start fires in our collection trucks if you place them in your kerbside bins.

Car and other lead acid batteries

Lead-acid batteries are used in cars, motorcycles, boats, emergency lighting and air-conditioners. These batteries contain lead, lead compounds and/or sulphuric acid. 

There are plenty of free options available to recycle your lead-acid batteries:

• Most car battery retailers, mechanics, service stations and scrap metal dealers accept used car batteries for recycling. When buying a new car battery, ask if they can recycle your old one.
• Century Yuasa has a national network of lead acid battery recycling centres.
• The Recycling Near You website has a directory of other local businesses that offer lead-acid battery recycling services.
• You can drop them off at the Summerhill Community Recycling Centre or at your next Household Chemical Clean Out event.

Household batteries

Household batteries can leach a range of heavy metals—such as cadmium, lead and mercury—into our environment if they are not disposed of responsibly. 

Household batteries include both single-use batteries and rechargeable batteries, including those designed for laptops, power tools, cameras and other electronic equipment.

Domestic quantities of household batteries can be safely recycled at:

• Aldi supermarkets. Any brand of AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries (both rechargeable and non-rechargeable) are accepted - simply drop your used batteries into the dedicated bins in store. Other battery types (such as button and 12-volt batteries) are not accepted.
• Participating Battery World, Coles, and Woolworths stores. Visit the Recycling Near You website for details.
• Summerhill Community Recycling Centre in Wallsend.
• Household Chemical Clean Out events, held twice-yearly in Newcastle and at other locations on specified dates.

Preparing batteries for recycling

To minimise the risk of short circuiting and potential fires please follow the below steps:

• Place sticky tape over the terminals of any lithium-based batteries (including button cell batteries) and any batteries that have both terminals on one side (such as 9-volt batteries).
• If a battery has lead wires these should be removed, or the bare wire ends covered in sticky tape.
• The Recycling Near You website offers advice on how to prepare your household batteries for recycling (please note: the information provided is general in nature and provided for educational purposes only).

Reducing household battery waste

You can minimise battery usage by connecting appliances to the mains power where possible.

You can also save money (in the long run) and reduce waste by buying rechargeable batteries. Many of these batteries can be recharged in less than 15 minutes, and can be recharged up to 1000 times.

Mobile phone batteries

• Visit Mobile Muster to find your nearest recycling drop-off point for mobile phones, batteries and accessories.
• Mobile Muster also offer free mailing options to post back your old mobiles and accessories for recycling.