Rechargeable Batteries

Alternative ways to recycle
Illegal in Garbage & Drains
Hazardous Waste

Batteries must be disposed of as household hazardous waste.

Household batteries may be dropped off at the following City Facilities:
City of Santa Cruz Public Works Dept. | 809 Center Street, Room 201
City of Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities Customer Service Office | 212 Locust Street
City Hall | Locust Street parking lot, trash enclosure battery receptacle (24/7)
Louden Nelson Community Center | 301 Center Street
Resource Recovery Facility | 605 Dimeo Lane

Retail Locations:

O’Reilly Auto Parts | 411 May Avenue

Outdoor World Sporting Goods | 136 River Street 

Never Throw in the Garbage

Batteries are banned from the garbage because they contain metals and other toxic and corrosive chemicals that can leach into the environment. All batteries, including sizes AAA, AA, C and D, need to be disposed of as hazardous waste.

Alternative Ways to Recycle

Lowes

Lowe's Recycling Program

Lowe’s accepts rechargeable batteries and CFLs at any of their store locations for free recycling. Find the nearest Lowe’s.

Office_Depot

The Office Depot Battery Recycling Program

Office Depot allows consumers to bring their rechargeable batteries to any location for free recycling. Find the nearest Office Depot.

Best-Buy-logo

Best Buy's Electronics and Appliances Recycling Program

Best Buy will take back rechargeable batteries as well as the following: battery backups (UPS), button batteries, cellphone batteries and laptop batteries. They do not accept single-use, car or other wet cell batteries. Find out more about Best Buy’s recycling program.

call2recycle

Recycle With Call2Recycle

Call2Recycle is a no-cost recycling program with collection sites all across the United States and Canada. They have locations that accept devices containing lithium-ion batteries. Learn more about Call2Recycle.

Cirba Solutions Battery Recycling

Cirba Solutions offers mail-in battery recycling kits. Their programs aim to help people recycle their batteries properly and conveniently. Learn more about Cirba Solutions.

The Big Green Box Battery Recycling Program

The Big Green Box is a mail-in battery recycling program for both residences and businesses. Their system is simple: Order a box, fill it up with your used batteries and then ship it back to the company’s EPA-approved recycling center.

Did You Know?

Battery Explodes in Garbage Truck

One battery recently caused an explosion in a UK garbage truck, starting a fire and contaminating over six tons of recycling. Because batteries contain chemicals that can ignite, it is important to dispose of them correctly, and not just toss them in with other trash or recycling.

Battery Technology Innovations

“A battery will do for the electricity supply chain what refrigeration did to our food supply chain,” said MIT electrochemist Donald Sadoway in a Grist article. Sadoway and his peers are developing new battery technology using materials such as molten metal and saltwater. The energy storage capacity of these technologies could lead to a new era for electric cars and the electricity grid.