Household Battery Recycling Bins
Program Background:
- The Southern Metropolitan Regional Council in conjunction with the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council received a Strategic Waste Initiative Scheme grant for $80, 000 to implement a metropolitan wide dry-cell battery collection and recycling program.
Battery Facts:
- Batteries are the most common form of hazardous waste disposed of by Australian households, with 97% ending up among usual rubbish collection in landfill.
- When batteries are landfilled, their casings disintegrate, and metals and chemicals used within the battery can leach into the surrounding environment. Preventing the batteries from going directly into landfill by participating in the battery recycling program, will remove this risk.
Battery Recycling:
- Australia only has one battery recycling facility (Auszinc) in Wollongong, New South Wales. This facility will recycle all metals and components of alkaline batteries.
- The batteries collected in this program will first be sorted. The components and metals are then separated, melted and recycled into new products such as street lights, new batteries, car parts and steel frames for houses.
- Batteries which cannot be recycled in Australia will be exported to existing European battery recycling facilities.
What batteries are not accepted?
- Automotive & sealed lead-based (Pb) – These can be taken to your next Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) drop off day. Visit www.wastenet.net.au/events for more information.
- Mobile Phones & Accessories – These can be taken back to mobile phone retail outlets. Visit www.mobilemuster.com.au for your nearest drop off point.
What else can you do to help: Reduce - Reuse - Recycle
- Check to see if you already have batteries on hand before purchasing more.
- When appropriate, buy hand operated items that function without batteries.
- Look for batteries that have less mercury and other heavy metals.
- Consider using rechargeable batteries (also known as secondary batteries) and battery chargers (only for rechargeable batteries).
Select your Local Council for the nearest collection bin:
