Battery Recycling Near Me: Free Drop-Off, Rules by State (2026)
Rechargeable batteries are free to recycle at thousands of retailer drop boxes run by The Battery Network, the program that was called Call2Recycle until its 2026 rename, and at city and county hazardous-waste sites. Alkaline AA, AAA, C, D and 9V cells are taken at fewer places: the Battery Network now lists them as recyclable, several cities (Chicago, Indianapolis, Houston) take them at hazardous-waste sites, and states such as Vermont, Illinois and Washington DC now require producers to collect them. Car batteries go back to any auto-parts store. Tape the terminals of every lithium, coin and 9V battery first; loose lithium cells are the main cause of collection-truck fires, which is why every city rule below says the same thing. Facts checked against the source named on 25 and 26 August 2026.
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Where to go and what it costs
| Option | Accepts | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Battery Network drop boxes (retailers) | Rechargeable Li-ion, NiCd, NiMH and small sealed lead-acid; many sites now take alkaline and lithium primary too | Free | Search batterynetwork.org/locator by ZIP; each site lists what it accepts. Home Depot, Lowe's, Staples, Best Buy and Batteries Plus stores are the usual hosts, but check the site entry before you go |
| City or county household hazardous waste site | All chemistries including alkaline and damaged or swollen cells | Free for residents | Houston ESC South and North, Chicago HCCRF, Indianapolis ToxDrop, San Antonio Culebra Rd, Boston Zero Waste Days, Ottawa and Calgary depots: see the city list below |
| Auto-parts stores (AutoZone, O'Reilly, Advance) | Car, motorcycle and marine lead-acid batteries | Free, often with a core credit | Most states ban lead-acid batteries from the trash and require the retailer to take one back per battery sold |
| Batteries Plus stores | Household and rechargeable batteries, some lead-acid | Free for most household batteries; fees on some | Appears in Bing local results for every US city we checked; call for the store list |
| E-bike and power-tool packs | Medium-format lithium packs from participating brands | Free at participating dealers | The Battery Network runs separate e-bike and high-energy (over 300 Wh) programs that only accept participating brands |
| Battery pickup services | Bulk, damaged or swollen batteries | $80-$200 | For businesses or hazardous cases; Blue Star in Denver charges $5-$8.50 per lb at drop-off |
Before you go: 4 quick checks
- Tape both terminals of every lithium, coin, 9V and rechargeable battery with clear, packing or electrical tape, or seal each one in its own bag (Ottawa, Boston and DC all require this).
- Never store a swollen battery indoors: move it to a cool fire-safe non-metal container and take it to a hazardous-waste site, not a retail bin and not the post.
- Keep batteries in a non-metal container out of direct sun on the way there.
- Remove batteries from devices where you can; a battery left inside a device is recycled with the device at most sites.
City battery drop-offs we verified on the city's own pages
- Houston: Environmental Service Center South (11500 S. Post Oak Rd, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 8 am to 5 pm) takes lead-acid and rechargeable batteries; alkaline cells are refused at the electronics events.
- Chicago: the HCCRF at 1150 N. North Branch St takes rechargeable, lithium, small lead-acid and car batteries on its chemicals side; alkaline batteries are not accepted.
- Indianapolis: ToxDrop Saturdays take AA and AAA batteries, lead-acid batteries and UPS batteries.
- San Antonio: the Culebra Road HHW center accepts batteries with a CPS bill and photo ID.
- Phoenix: the HHW center at 1621 S. Portland Ave takes batteries and vapes free; Phoenix Computer Recycle takes lithium, NiCd and lead-acid batteries and UPS units free.
- Washington, DC: DPW special waste events take batteries with lithium and anything over 9 volts taped and separated; DC has had a producer battery program and disposal ban since 2022.
- Boston: Zero Waste Days take lithium and NiCd batteries (26 September 2026, 400 Frontage Road).
- Denver: Blue Star Recyclers charges $5 per lb for most batteries and $8.50 per lb for lithium primary cells; the city points residents to retailer drop boxes for free.
- Ottawa: never in the garbage; tape or bag each battery and use a Call2Recycle box or the Waste Explorer.
- Calgary, Winnipeg, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane: household batteries are free at the council depots and Eco Centres; Brisbane treats every battery, dead or damaged, as e-waste.
Is there a battery law in your state?
Producer-funded collection and a disposal ban for household batteries: Washington, DC (ban since 1 January 2022), Vermont (all portable and medium-format batteries from 1 January 2026), Illinois (stewardship plans required from 1 January 2026, disposal ban from 1 January 2028), California (AB 2440 stewardship for covered batteries, plus battery-embedded products under SB 1215 from 1 January 2026), Washington (stewardship organisation membership, disposal ban from 1 January 2027 for portable batteries), Wisconsin (Act 170, from 1 January 2027), Oregon (producer program by 1 July 2029), Maine (once its stewardship law is enacted).
Rechargeable-battery take-back laws: New York (retailers selling rechargeables must take them back; disposal banned since 5 December 2011), Minnesota (rechargeables and products with non-removable rechargeables banned from mixed waste since 1994), Maryland (NiCd and small sealed lead-acid management programs).
Lead-acid (car battery) laws in most states: Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and many others ban lead-acid batteries from the trash and oblige retailers to take one back for each one sold.
No state battery law: Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and others rely on federal rules only, so retailer drop boxes and city hazardous-waste sites are the route. The Battery Network keeps the state-by-state text at batterynetwork.org.
Clearing out a business, school or office?
Retailer drop-off programs are for households. Organisations with 20 or more devices, or drives that need certified erasure or destruction, can get a quote from our ITAD partner through our enquiry form. It is free, there is no obligation, and we are paid by the provider only if a job goes ahead.
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Options in major US cities
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Frequently asked questions
Where can I recycle AA batteries near me for free?
Alkaline AA, AAA, C, D and 9V cells are on The Battery Network accepted list, but not every drop box takes them, so check the site entry in the locator. City hazardous-waste sites take them in Indianapolis (ToxDrop) and San Antonio; Chicago and Houston refuse alkaline at their electronics drop-offs. In Colorado and Virginia the official advice is that alkaline cells can go in the trash, though recycling is better.
Is Call2Recycle still running?
Yes, under a new name. Call2Recycle rebranded as The Battery Network in 2026; the drop-box network, the locator (batterynetwork.org/locator) and the accepted list are the same program, and older Call2Recycle boxes in stores still work.
Can I put batteries in the recycling bin at home?
No. Every city page we checked, from Brisbane to Boston, bans batteries from household bins because crushed lithium cells start fires in collection trucks. Tape the terminals and use a retailer drop box or a hazardous-waste site.
Who pays for old car batteries?
Auto-parts stores (AutoZone, O'Reilly, Advance) take lead-acid car batteries free and usually credit $5-$10, because lead cores have scrap value. Most states ban lead-acid batteries from the trash and require the retailer to accept one used battery for each new one sold.
How do I dispose of a swollen phone or laptop battery?
Do not drop a swollen battery in a retail bin and do not ship it. Move it to a cool fire-safe non-metal container, then take it to a household hazardous waste site (Houston ESC, Chicago HCCRF, Phoenix HHW center, San Antonio Culebra Rd) or book a hazardous pickup, typically $100-$200 in the US.