Rethink Batteries – RethinkWaste

If an item turns on, lights up, makes a sound, or moves on its own WITHOUT being plugged into the wall—there’s a good chance that item contains some type of battery. No matter the size and regardless of battery type—batteries must be properly disposed of!

Does your item have a battery? Let us help you figure it out!

Have a battery related question? Ask our battery expert!

Are you a part of our Service Area? Find out here.

Find over 15 FREE drop-off locations for your batteries.

Why Should You Care About Proper Battery Disposal?

Environmental Impact

Batteries that find their way into our black garbage carts/bins end up in our local landfill. After a little time, they can corrode and allow harmful chemicals to leach into the soil and make their way into our water supply. Batteries can also cause landfill fires which release toxic chemicals into the air, leading to potential health problems for anyone who inhales those fumes.

Health & Safety

Chemicals in batteries can cause everything from serious skin irritation to cancer. Consumer products such as cell phones, laptops, and headphones that contain lithium-ion batteries are of particular concern, as they can explode or catch on fire if disposed of improperly. In 2016 a battery started a 4-alarm fire that closed the Shoreway recycling facility for months and caused millions of dollars in damages.

It costs YOU money!

Batteries that end up in our blue recycle carts/bins are brought to the Shoreway Environmental Center—a public facility partially owned by everyone who is a Recology San Mateo County customer. Battery fires at the facility could harm facility workers and damage machinery, which would require repairs, increase garbage rates, and raise your service rates. Click here to read more about rising prices due to improper battery disposal. We can all prevent these fires (and rate increases) by properly disposing of our batteries.

Proper Battery Disposal For Everyone In Our Community

Recology San Mateo County Customers

This battery program and information are strictly for Recology San Mateo County customers and the residents of: Belmont, Burlingame, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Mateo, parts of unincorporated San Mateo County, and the West Bay Sanitary District (as indicated on the map below).

Curbside Program Participants

Residents who participate in the curbside pickup program have an easy, simple, and FREE way to properly dispose of your household batteries. The curbside program accepts all single-use, rechargeable, and lithium-ion household batteries. Lead-acid and car batteries are not accepted. These should be taken to Shoreway Environmental Center or San Mateo County’s Household Hazardous Waste Program.

STEP 1: Collect ALL your household batteries that no longer carry a charge.

STEP 2: Prevent fires by taping over battery terminals with clear tape as shown in this video. The terminals, or exposed metal parts, of certain batteries can rub together creating a spark that may lead to a fire.

STEP 3: Put all your batteries into any clear plastic zip-top bag. Properly seal the bag to ensure no batteries fall out.

STEP 4: Place the sealed bag on top of your black garbage cart on your regular collection day.

A NOTE ABOUT THOSE ORANGE BATTERY BAGS: For the curbside battery program, you may use any zip-top bag to place your household batteries in. If you would like to use the orange collection bags, click here for a list of locations

Apartment/Condo Residents

Residents who live in apartment complexes and condominiums with 5+ units have 3 easy, simple, and FREE ways to properly dispose of their household batteries.

OPTION #1 – DROP IT IN THE ORANGE BATTERY BUCKET

STEP 1: Collect ALL your household batteries that no longer carry a charge.

STEP 3: Put all your batteries into any clear plastic zip-top bag. Properly seal the bag to ensure no batteries fall out.

STEP 4: Place the sealed bag in your orange bucket.

NO BUCKET? NO PROBLEM! If you don’t see one at your location, ask your property manager or owner to get a bucket for your building(s) from Recology San Mateo County for free! Please note that only property managers/owners can request a bucket and coordinate pickups.

OPTION #2 – BATTERY DROP OFF LOCATIONS

There are over 20 convenient and free drop-off locations within the RethinkWaste service area, including our Shoreway Public Recycling Center in San Carlos. See the map below for full list of locations. Please call the location before heading out to make sure they are open and if there is a limit.

OPTION #3 – SAN MATEO COUNTY’S HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAM

Dispose of all your toxic waste (including your batteries) with the County. Click here for a list of all accepted HHW items. San Mateo County’s HHW Program is a free recycling and disposal service for all County residents by appointment only.

To participate, you must schedule an appointment at smchealth.org/hhw or call (650) 363-4718, select option 3.

Small Businesses

Small businesses that generate less than 220 pounds or 27 gallons of hazardous waste per month may contact San Mateo County’s Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG) Program for more information on business hazardous waste disposal by calling (650) 372-6200 or at smchealth.org/vsqg.

All other businesses that are not a VSQG should use a licensed recycler to dispose of their universal waste such as batteries. For a list of authorized recyclers and other disposal information, contact San Mateo County Environmental Health Services at (650) 372-6200.

Get To Know Your Battery Types

Alkaline

Alkaline batteries are your basic AA, AAA, C, D and 9-volt single-use batteries. They are commonly found in toys, remotes, and flashlights.

Button Cell

Most button cell and coin cell batteries have a long shelf-life. They are found in watches, hearing aids, greeting cards, and car fobs.

Ni-Cd (Nickel Cadmium)

Ni-Cd (Nickel Cadmium) batteries are the least expensive of the rechargeable batteries and can be recharged up to 1,000 times. They are often found in cordless power drills, digital cameras, and cordless phones.

Lithium / Lithium Cell

“Lithium” or “lithium cell” batteries are non-rechargeable and long-lasting, but react violently with water. They may be found in pacemakers, alarms, watches, and remote car locks.

Lithium-ion / Lithium Polymer

“Lithium-ion” or “lithium polymer (Li-Po)” batteries are rechargeable and highly flammable if they short circuit. You’ll find these batteries in cell phones, laptops, power tools, and digital cameras.

Ni-MH (Nickel Metal Hydride)

Ni-MH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries can be recharged up to 1,000 times. They are commonly found in cordless power drills, digital cameras, and cordless phones.

Battery FAQs

What types of bags can I put my batteries in?

You may place your used batteries in any clear zip-top bag.

Why can’t I place my batteries with my other recyclables?

Batteries contain materials/metals that can be recycled, but not in the normal way your blue cart materials are recycled. Since batteries contain chemicals and potentially leftover charge, they must go through a separate process to safely extract the valuable materials inside.

Where can I get additional orange battery bags for the curbside battery program?

For Recology’s curbside battery collection program, you may use any clear zip-top bag to place your household batteries in.

If you would like to use the orange collection bags, click here for a list of locations where you may pick one up. Please check with the location to see if it is open first.

Why is taping battery terminals helpful?

Bagging and taping batteries is helpful because covering the terminals prevents batteries from rubbing together and creating a spark. Residents should tape terminals with clear tape and store batteries in a plastic bag before proper disposal. See how to properly tape your used batteries in the video below.

Why do I have to use clear tape to tape my battery terminals?

Clear tape (like the small rolls you use at home or packaging tape) is essential for our team to properly sort the different battery types. Because there are quite a few different types of batteries that need to be sorted by chemistry make up, clear tape allows us to read the various labels and ensure the correct battery gets placed with its friends. Dark tape like electrical or duct tape would prevent us from reading the labels clearly.

Which batteries are the most dangerous?

Lithium-ion batteries contain more power than other batteries and are delicately packaged. When damaged, the battery can short out, heat up, and catch on fire as seen in the video below. Click here to learn more about lithium batteries and the types of products they can be found in.

Watch a lithium ion battery catch fire under pressure.

What do I do with my lead-acid batteries from cars or computers?

Lead-acid batteries are accepted at the Shoreway Public Recycling Center for proper disposal.

What are the most common products that people mistakenly think don’t have batteries but actually do?

Some of the most common items that people forget have batteries are the smaller everyday things that have lights such as light-up or musical greeting cards, light-up shoes, and even light-up pens. If you’re not sure whether a product has a battery, a good rule of thumb is to remember that nearly every electronic device that has an on/off switch, makes sounds, or has lights, has a battery.

Where do batteries go and what happens to them?

Batteries that are properly collected get sent to a third-party that sorts the batteries by type and then they safely extract the valuable metals inside.

Are rechargeable batteries better than single-use batteries?

Rechargeable batteries are reusable, resulting in reduced waste and cost. However, reusable batteries contain more chemicals than single-use alkaline batteries, so you must remember to handle them with care.