Keep Batteries Out of Your Trash & Recycling Bin
Rechargeable batteries power almost everything we own now. When they get thrown out the wrong way, they cause fires in our trucks and at our facility.
Why lithium batteries are a problem
They hold a lot of energy in a small package. They’re safe in normal use, but being crushed, punctured, or damaged is what makes them dangerous, and that happens all the time during collection and processing.
A damaged battery can overheat into a chain reaction called thermal runaway. Near paper, cardboard, or plastic, a small fire spreads fast.
What happens when a battery goes in the bin
Bin
A battery gets tossed in with household trash or recycling.
Truck compactor
The truck’s compactor crushes the load, battery included.
Facility equipment
Balers and shredders at the facility process the material.
Batteries are most likely to catch fire when they’re crushed in garbage trucks or processing equipment.
A battery that gets damaged can look fine at first and then start a fire hours later, sometimes after everyone has gone home.
Where these batteries hide
Tip: if a device has a charger, it probably has a lithium battery.
Phones
Laptops
Cordless tools
E-bikes & scooters
Vapes
Toys
Earbuds
Power banks
Smart watches
How to dispose of batteries
Accepted batteries
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Locations, hours & fees
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Not accepted
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Outside Carroll County? Find a battery drop-off near you.
How to prepare batteries for drop-off
Tape or bag
Tape the terminals or bag each battery separately.
Bring the whole device
Don’t remove batteries that are built into a device; bring the whole device.
Damaged, swollen, leaking, or hot
Stop using or charging it, and keep it out of the trash. Store it in sand or cat litter away from anything flammable.
Damaged, Swollen, Leaking, or Hot Batteries
If a battery is smoking or on fire, move away from it and call 911.
Otherwise, stop using or charging the device right away. Using gloves, place the battery or device in a metal or plastic container and cover it with sand or cat litter. Keep it outside or in a garage on a concrete surface, away from anything that can burn. Don’t put it in the trash, a recycling bin, or the mail.
Next, find a battery drop-off location near you and call before you go. Most collection bins can’t accept damaged batteries, so ask whether they accept damaged batteries and how to package yours for transport.
Everyone has a part.
When residents drop batteries off the right way, our drivers and staff stay safe.