Be a battery hero - never bin a battery
Did you know batteries can start fires in waste trucks when put in household bins?
Batteries can start fires
Batteries have caused several truck fires in Canterbury-Bankstown, putting drivers and the community at risk.
Truck fires also:
- Delay your waste collection services
- Cost Council money to replace and repair trucks, taking funding away from other critical services
- Could cost ratepayers money through an increase in rates
Keep your family and community safe by dropping off your batteries at a collection point near you.
How and where to safely dispose of batteries
It’s easy to find a place near you to drop off your unwanted batteries. Your local Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings, IGA and Aldi should have a battery collection box through B-cycle who accept most common household batteries.
Products with hidden batteries
Some products have embedded batteries inside them, which may not be obvious.
Common products with embedded batteries include:
- Bluetooth speakers and headphones
- Electric toothbrushes
- E-scooters, e-bikes and hover boards
- Flashing/light-up, remote-controlled or ride-on toys
- Personal care devices like shavers
- Vapes and e-cigarettes
- Cordless vacuum cleaners
- Smart watches and wearable tracking devices
Do not put these products in any household bin if the battery is still inside.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is currently running a trial where you can drop off items with embedded batteries. The closest location for most residents is the Inner West Community Recycling Centre or the Liverpool Community Recycling Centre.
Each of these products contain a hidden battery:
How to safely store and drop off batteries
Most supermarkets will have a battery collection box run by B-cycle. Simply hold on to your batteries and take them with you the next time you go shopping.
Here are some tips on how to safely store them until you’re ready to take them to a drop-off location:
- Put clear sticky tape over the battery terminals (the part of the battery where electricity is produced, like the ends of AA batteries or both sides of button batteries). This prevents fires, because if the terminals touch they can spark and cause a fire.
- Store taped batteries in a clearly labelled glass container – make sure the container is not air-tight as pressure can build up.
- Store the container in a cool, dry place away from any heat source or children.
You can also drop off batteries at Chemical CleanOut events.
Recycling other battery-operated products
Mobile phones also contain batteries, which can often be hard to remove. Mobile phones aren't accepted by B-cycle but can be recycled through MobileMuster. Find your closest MobileMuster drop-off location.
If you need to throw away other tricky electrical items that contain batteries, use the Recycle Mate map below to find drop-off locations.