Disposing of your Batteries Safely and Responsibly

Each year we throw away over 600 million batteries, but did you know that batteries are a significant risk to our health and the environment?

• Many batteries contain harmful chemicals (particularly heavy metals such as lead, mercury, or cadmium) which can escape into and poison our environment and watercourses.
• Car batteries contain acids which can cause burns and harm wildlife.
• Lithium rechargeable batteries contain flammable materials under pressure which can cause fires when the battery becomes damaged. This is a significant risk on waste sites where the battery can become damaged during processing.

Please ensure that you and your family dispose of batteries safely;

• No batteries should be put into skips, recycling bins or household waste.
• Most large supermarkets and garages have designated collection points for batteries where you can take old batteries
• Council household recycling centres may also have collection points for all types of batteries.
• Some garages will recycle your car battery for you

Not only is recycling your batteries safer, it is also making a difference to the environment.