Index / How to dispose of batteries

How to dispose of batteries, by type

How to dispose of a battery depends on what it is made of, not on its size: the U.S. EPA gives one rule for alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries, one for button, coin and single-use lithium batteries, and one for rechargeables, and this page quotes all three word for word. In its own words: “Waste batteries can always be recycled or taken to household hazardous waste collection points.” Of the 215 designations in this site’s data with a published chemistry, 95 are buttons or coins, 103 are alkaline or zinc-carbon cells that are not buttons, and 7 are rechargeable.

Updated 14 November 2026 · data retrieved 1 September 2026

How do you dispose of batteries?

By type, and the type is printed on the battery: “Battery types are identified by marking and labeling, not by the battery’s shape or the color of the label.” The EPA’s page, quoted below, sends button, coin, single-use lithium and rechargeable batteries to recyclers or household hazardous waste collection, and says of the rest: “In most communities, alkaline and zinc carbon batteries can be safely put in your household trash.”

How do you dispose of lithium batteries?

Not in the trash and not in the recycling bin: that is how to dispose of lithium batteries in the EPA’s words, “Do not put button-cell, coin, or lithium single use batteries in the trash or municipal recycling bins.” Lithium battery recycling goes to the places the EPA lists for button and coin cells, quoted below. Before they go anywhere: “Place each battery in separate plastic bags or place non-conductive tape (e.g., electrical tape) over the battery’s terminals or around the entire button.”

Can you throw alkaline batteries in the trash?

The EPA: “In most communities, alkaline and zinc carbon batteries can be safely put in your household trash.” Its recommendation: “send used alkaline and zinc carbon batteries to battery recyclers or check with your local or state solid waste authority.”

Where can I recycle batteries near me?

The EPA’s page points to two locators by name: Earth911 and Call2Recycle. This site holds no list of drop-off points of its own.

Battery disposal by EPA row

The EPA’s rows are chemistries and one shape. Counted against this site’s data, 28 of the 95 buttons and coins are lithium and the rest are alkaline, mercuric oxide, silver oxide and zinc air; every button falls under the button row whatever its chemistry. Alkaline buttons such as LR44 are named twice: the alkaline row lists “some button cells”, and the button row covers every round flat cell by its shape. The 10 cells in the last row are mercury, silver oxide or zinc air in shapes other than a button; no EPA row names them by type, and the page’s first rule is the one that covers them: “Waste batteries can always be recycled or taken to household hazardous waste collection points.”

Read the chemistry from the code

The EPA: “Battery types are identified by marking and labeling, not by the battery’s shape or the color of the label.” On a cell with an IEC designation the letter in front of the size is the chemistry, so CR2032 is lithium and LR44 is alkaline before you read any other word on it. The letters below are the IEC 60086 system letters this site reads every code by, with codes from its own data.

Alkaline and zinc-carbon: what the EPA says

Alkaline and Zinc-Carbon

These common everyday batteries can be used in products such as alarm clocks, calculators, flashlights, TV remote controls, radios, remote-control products, children’s toys and other items.

For example, some common alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries include 9 Volt, AA, AAA, C, D and some button cells.

Some reclamation companies recycle these batteries; check with your local or state solid waste authority for management options. In most communities, alkaline and zinc carbon batteries can be safely put in your household trash.

EPA recommendation: send used alkaline and zinc carbon batteries to battery recyclers or check with your local or state solid waste authority.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Used Household Batteries, last updated July 21, 2026; retrieved 14 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

Lithium battery disposal: button, coin and single-use lithium

Button-Cell or Coin

These small, round batteries have historically contained silver, cadmium, mercury or other heavy metals as their main component.

Today, the majority are made of lithium metal. These batteries are commonly used in products such as watches, hearing aids, car keyless entry remotes, medical devices and calculators.

Button-cell or coin batteries can be a potential swallowing hazard; store them out of the reach of young children.

Management requirements are based on the battery’s chemistry. They can be brought to specialized battery recyclers, participating retailers that provide battery takeback services or local household hazardous waste collection programs. Contact the manufacturer or local solid waste authority for additional management options.

Handling precautions: Place each battery in separate plastic bags or place non-conductive tape (e.g., electrical tape) over the battery’s terminals or around the entire button. A lithium battery may spark and cause fires if damaged or the terminal ends touch. If the battery becomes damaged, contact the manufacturer for specific handling information.

EPA recommendation: Check for the word “lithium” marked on the battery. Do not put button-cell, coin, or lithium single use batteries in the trash or municipal recycling bins. Find a recycling location near you:

Lithium single-use

Button-cell or coin

Lithium Single-Use

These common batteries are made with lithium (Li) metal and are single-use and non-rechargeable

They are used in products such as cameras, watches, remote controls, handheld games and smoke detectors.

These batteries may be difficult to distinguish from common alkaline batteries, but may also have specialized shapes for specific equipment, such as some types of cameras and calculators.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Used Household Batteries, last updated July 21, 2026; retrieved 14 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

Rechargeable and lithium-ion battery recycling

Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd)

These batteries are typically used in cordless power tools, cordless phones, digital and video cameras, two-way radios, bio-medical equipment and video cameras.

They may look like single-use AA, AAA or other alkaline batteries or a battery pack shaped for specific tools.

Removable batteries: Removable rechargeable batteries can be brought to specialized battery recyclers, participating retailers that provide battery takeback services, or local household hazardous waste collection programs. Contact the manufacturer or your local household waste authority for other management options.

Non-removable batteries contained in electronic devices: Entire devices can be brought to certified electronics recyclers, participating retailers that provide electronics takeback services, or local electronics or household hazardous waste collection programs.

Handling precautions: Place each battery in a separate plastic bag or place non-conductive tape (e.g., electrical tape) over the battery’s terminals. Handle any damaged battery with care and appropriate personal protective equipment. If a lithium-ion battery becomes damaged, contact the battery or device manufacturer for specific handling information.

EPA recommendation: Look for labels identifying battery chemistry. Do not put rechargeable batteries in the trash or municipal recycling bins. Find a recycling location near you:

Ni-Cd

Li-ion

Ni-MH

Ni-Zn

Pb

Lithium-Ion (Li-ion)

Commonly found in cellphones, power tools, digital cameras, laptops, children’s toys, e-cigarettes, small and large appliances, tablets and e-readers.

Some Li-ion batteries are not easily removed from the product and can become problematic as a fire hazard if they are broken, bent or crushed.

Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)

Commonly found in cellphones, cordless power tools, digital cameras and two-way radios.

These batteries are not as common as they once were.

Nickel-Zinc (Ni-Zn)

Commonly found in digital cameras, wireless keyboards and small electronics.

Small-Sealed Lead Acid (Pb)

Commonly found in mobility scooters, children’s toy cars, emergency lighting and hospital equipment. Also used for backup power in residential landline phones and uninterruptable power supplies for computers.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Used Household Batteries, last updated July 21, 2026; retrieved 14 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

Lithium-ion cells that look like AA or CR123A

A 14500 is the size of an AA and a 16340 the size of a CR123A, and both are rechargeable lithium-ion: the rechargeable row above is theirs, not the alkaline or single-use lithium row. The lithium-ion page lists every such lookalike with its voltage.

The law behind it

Public Law 104-142: The Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act: This law was enacted to phase out the use of mercury-containing batteries and provide for the recycling of nickel cadmium, small sealed lead-acid batteries, and certain other rechargeable batteries.

Some states have enacted battery recycling laws for various types of consumer batteries. To see a map of state battery laws, go to the Call2Recycle website.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Used Household Batteries, last updated July 21, 2026; retrieved 14 November 2026. Quoted word for word.

The state map the EPA refers to is at Call2Recycle.

Where this page stops

Every rule above is the EPA’s, quoted from the page named under each quote on the date given there; nothing on this page rewrites it. State and local rules can be stricter, and the EPA says so itself. This site counts the designations in one manufacturer’s catalog against the EPA’s rows; it does not test batteries, collect them or know where your nearest drop-off is.