How to Recycle Batteries the Right Way

A practical guide to recycling batteries: what goes where, why it matters, and how to prep household, rechargeable, and EV batteries safely.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Batteries are recyclable, but most don't belong in curbside bins, and many shouldn't go in the trash at all. The good news is there are plenty of realistic options, from drop-off locations to mail-in programs, but that's only helpful once you know what you're dealing with. This article provides a guide on how to recycle batteries the right way, including the importance of proper disposal, local rules, the recycling process, and tips on how to safely prepare batteries for recycling.

Why it matters

Most batteries contain metals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese that can be harmful if they leak into soil and water. Keeping them out of landfills reduces the risk of contamination. It also keeps valuable materials in circulation, which matters because recycling reduces the need for mining new raw materials. Mining for these materials can also have negative environmental and human rights impacts.

The details

Battery recycling isn't standardized across the U.S., so your zip code matters. California, for example, treats discarded batteries as hazardous waste and prohibits throwing them in the trash. Recycling facilities typically use high-temperature metal reclamation: batteries are sorted, cut, and melted so metals can be extracted. With alkaline or zinc-carbon batteries, the materials are often shredded to separate paper, plastics, and metals, which can then be used in new products. Single-use batteries, rechargeable batteries, and vehicle/EV batteries all have different recycling requirements and pathways.

  • In 2021, a Toyota Research Institute–funded project used machine learning and experimental physics to better understand why fast-charging lithium-ion batteries degrade.
  • Also in 2021, Harvard researchers designed a stable lithium-metal battery that could be charged and discharged at least 10,000 times, potentially extending the usable life of EV packs.

The players

United States Geological Survey

The United States Geological Survey identifies cobalt, lithium, and graphite as 'critical minerals', meaning they're economically and strategically important and vulnerable to supply disruptions.

Toyota Research Institute

A Toyota-funded research project that used machine learning and experimental physics to better understand why fast-charging lithium-ion batteries degrade.

Harvard researchers

Researchers at Harvard University who designed a stable lithium-metal battery that could be charged and discharged at least 10,000 times, potentially extending the usable life of EV packs.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

There's also a climate angle to battery 'second life.' A 2014 study in Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments found that reusing EV batteries after vehicle service could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 56 percent compared to using natural gas for power generation.

The takeaway

Batteries are absolutely recyclable, they just require the right pathway. By following proper recycling guidelines and using mail-in, drop-off, or take-back programs, individuals can help keep valuable materials in circulation and reduce the environmental and human rights impacts of mining new raw materials.