CPSC BATTERY STEWARDSHIP
Improper disposal of batteries puts the environment, waste management workers, and landfills and facilities in danger. Due to their toxic construction, batteries can cause fires and leach harmful chemicals into the soil and water table. Consumers often know batteries do not belong in the trash, but they often don’t know where to take them for proper disposal or recycling. The California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) is leading several battery education projects and policy developments to expand education on proper battery management and provide residents with safe and convenient battery disposal/recycling options. ​​​
THE PROBLEM
California designates batteries as hazardous waste due to their content of metals & corrosive materials. Batteries must be carefully disposed of at specified collection centers, rather than being included in waste destined for landfills or recycling centers.
​
Despite these guidelines, batteries often find their way to waste management facilities, posing potential risks to health and safety. And with the introduction of new battery types and items containing batteries into the waste stream, facilities and collection vehicles nationwide are witnessing a surge in fires. Batteries represent a significant fire hazard to waste and recycling facilities, with 390 incidents reported in the US and Canada in 2022.* Being handled improperly as they navigate through sorters and conveyor belts can result in batteries being punctured, sparking eruptions.
​
* WasteDive (2023). High number of facility fires in 2022 prompts renewed look at battery recycling efforts
THE SOLUTION
Convenient and safe collection of batteries is necessary for the safety of public health and the environment. The manufacturers of batteries must take accountability for the products they produce by supporting easy to access collection efforts. Additionally, consumers must understand their role in safe disposal of batteries, and commit to the “Use, Save, and Dispose” method of battery management, detailed below.
​
-
USE: Make sure to keep batteries out of the reach of children before being used. Check for any signs of corrosion before using.
-
SAVE: Collect used batteries in a box, and store away from any flammable items. Tape the terminal sides of the batteries for extra protection.
-
DISPOSE: Take batteries to a hazardous waste collection facility or battery disposal bin. Contact your waste hauler for more info.
SAFELY DISPOSE/RECYCLE YOUR USED BATTERIES
To find a drop-off location to properly dispose/recycle your single-use and rechargeable household batteries, visit the Call2Recycle battery drop-off location map at: www.call2recycle.org/locator/
LEARN MORE
Check out the videos below to learn more about the hazards of improper disposal of batteries and the need for proper management.
POLICY AND ADVOCACY FOR RESIDENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES
​​In 2022, the California Legislature passed two bills (AB 2440 and SB 1215) which will create a safe, convenient, and accessible system for consumers to drop off batteries for proper disposal, rather than discarding them into the garbage. The bills work in tandem to cover most household batteries, and will ultimately increase disposal options for consumers. AB 2440 (Irwin, 2022) established the Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022, and SB 1215 (Newman, 2022) amended the Electronic Waste Recycling Act and added covered battery-embedded products to the CEW Recycling Program. Learn more about the programs on the CalRecycle website:
​
PRESS AND MEDIA
-
It Will Soon Be Easier for Americans to Recycle Batteries - WIRED, 7/15/2024
-
Why Recycling Plants Keep Catching on Fire - TIME, 4/13/2023
-
Fire incidents increased at waste, recycling facilities in 2022 – Waste Today Magazine, 3/22/2023
-
California Passes Two New Laws to Overhaul State’s Battery Extended Producer Responsibility Program and Broadly Expand State’s E-Waste Program - Beveridge & Diamond, 10/06/2022
-
California targets battery and device collection - Recycling Today, 9/20/2022
-
California Gov. Newsom signs many recycling and waste bills, vetoes two - WasteDive, 9/19/2022
-
Two Landmark Bills in California Aiming to Increase Battery Recycling Signed Into Law - Waste Advantage Magazine, 9/19/2022
-
California Passes Two New Bills to Overhaul State’s Battery Extended Producer Responsibility Program and Broadly Expand State’s E-Waste Program - JD Supra, 9/12/2022
-
California Passes Two New Bills to Overhaul State’s Battery Extended Producer Responsibility Program and Broadly Expand State’s E-Waste Program - National Law Review, 9/8/2022
-
Release: Bills to Create Statewide Battery Recycling Program Approved by California Legislature - Senate District 29, 8/31/2022
-
California legislature advances battery EPR and takeback bills, aiming to avert facility fires - WasteDive, 8/31/2022
-
The Story of Why We Need Safe Battery Management – CPSC, 3/8/2022
-
Lithium Battery Fires Are Threatening Recycling as We Know It - VICE, 2/1/2022