Recycling plastic, paper or glass is easy. But when it comes to batteries, you may need to look a little harder.
Batteries are not accepted as curbside recycling, and even some local recycling centers won’t take them. What gives? Well, batteries present a challenge for various reasons.
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It is important for batteries to be recycled properly due to toxicity from heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and nickel. If your old batteries end up in a landfill, pollutants can leak out and contaminate groundwater, damage already fragile ecosystems, and potentially make their way into the food chain. Some batteries can even cause fires from a short-circuit.
Almost any retailer that sells lead-acid batteries collects used batteries for recycling, as required by the state.
Related: You can’t recycle these 7 things curbside in Michigan, even though you want to
So where can you take your old batteries? You have options! Here’s a quick roundup:
Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware: These hardware store chains will accept rechargeable and single-use batteries at most locations. You can use this map to find a store near you that accepts batteries.
Advance Auto Parts and AutoZone: Both of these retailers will take vehicle batteries for recycling. Here’s a full list of locations.
Earth911: You can find local battery recycling programs using the map here.
Here are some links to local government pages with info on battery recycling and disposal:
Have something to add to this list? Shoot me an email!