How to Dispose of Laptop Batteries

Finding a Recycling Facility

Refrain from putting your laptop battery out with your regular recycling. Lithium-ion batteries can produce sparks and start fires when they rub against other materials. Even if you tape off the terminals, there’s still a chance the tape could come off and cause a fire. Plus, your regular recycling facility probably isn’t equipped to deal with hazardous waste materials.Warning: Never throw your laptop battery away in the trash! In some states, it’s illegal to do so.

Locate a local recycling center that will accept your laptop battery. Thankfully, recycling is a growing priority in many places and it’s not hard to find somewhere to take your batteries to. You can enter your location to find the nearest recycling facility at https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/. You can also call 1-877-273-2925 to contact Call2Recyle and find a location.

Ask your library or local community center if they host recycling events. Many communities have drop-off locations in public spaces for recycling all kinds of batteries. They may accept drop-offs year-round, or there may be specific times of the year during which they host these events. If your community doesn’t have any such events, you could always try to organize one yourself!

Check out your local electronics stores to see if they recycle batteries. Many big-name electronics stores, office supply stores, and home improvement stores accept all kinds of batteries for recycling. You can check online, call, or stop in to find out if this is an option for you. Home Depot, Lowes, Radio Shack, Best Buy, Sears, and Staples are popular stores that often accept batteries to be recycled.

Use a mail-in program if there isn’t a recycling facility near your home. There are several different nationwide mail-in programs, and your state might have some options for you, too. Call2Recycle and Big Green Box are two nationwide sites that accept shipped laptop batteries for recycling. Find out more information at https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/ and https://biggreenbox.com. Some mail-in programs are free, and some charge a fee. Make sure to check out a program’s requirements for packaging and shipping before you make a commitment.

Preparing and Returning

Check your battery first to make sure it’s completely dead. Most laptop batteries in newer laptops can last upwards of 5 years, but eventually, they do need to be replaced. Try reviving your laptop battery before you recycle and replace it. If your battery can be revived, you won’t have to pay to replace it just yet.

Remove the battery from the laptop. Even if your laptop is also dead, it actually has to be recycled separately from the battery. Most batteries are located on the bottom of the laptop. There may be a latch you can release to access it, or you may need to use a small screwdriver. If you have a cellphone or tablet, you probably don’t need to remove the battery, but double-check with the recycling facility to make sure.

Cover the ends (terminals) with clear tape or masking tape. This will prevent any current transfer or leakage from occurring. The terminal is the actual part of the battery that hooks into your computer to transfer power. It usually looks like a ridged ⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) piece. If you don’t have tape, place the battery into its own resealable plastic bag. This way, if it does leak, it won’t come into contact with anything else.

Keep your laptop battery separate from other types of batteries. Use plastic bags to keep the battery away from other batteries, as well as away from any potentially flammable materials. Keep it in a cool, dry space until you’re ready to take it to the recycling facility. Even if you have more than one laptop battery to recycle, store them separately and don’t stack them on top of each other.Tip: If you already purchased a replacement battery, you could use that box to store the dead one.

Check the recycling facility’s open hours and required fees. There usually isn’t a fee to recycle these types of rechargeable batteries as there might be for single-use batteries, but it always smart to double-check so you’ll be prepared. Find out if there is a drop-off box that is always accessible or if you’ll need to actually go inside the facility. For example, if you’re taking your battery to an electronics store, you’ll most likely need to go while they’re open.

Take your batteries to the recycling center or mail them in when you can. The sooner you can complete this task, the less likely that you’ll put it off or forget about it. You could even set a reminder or a calendar appointment on your phone to make sure you get it done. You should be proud of yourself for taking the time to recycle your battery—doing so is a great way to help out the environment!