B-cycle Battery Safety Awareness Campaign
News and Events / Good Sorts
B-cycle wants to raise awareness and change current behaviours around household battery disposal 🔋
B-cycle is about creating a responsible battery lifecycle – from buying better batteries for the planet, to safe use, and recycling. Unfortunately, 90% of Australia’s used batteries end up in landfill, where they can leak toxic materials into the environment. B-cycle is here to make a change by keeping batteries (and their contents) out of soils and waterways. Keep reading to see how you can ensure you dispose of your batteries safely and responsibly.
Never bin your batteries
Why is binning my batteries dangerous?
Batteries should never be put in your recycling or waste bin. Rechargeable batteries and lithium-ion batteries are hazardous and could produce sparks that may start a fire in the trucks or recycling facility. This includes batteries in laptops, mobile phones, power tools and cameras. Place sticky tape around battery terminals to prevent fires.
Download this handy fact sheet to learn more about the dangers of putting batteries in your general waste bin and how to safely them when it comes time for disposal.
Where can I recycle my batteries?
B-cycle has partnered with approximately 100 organisations across Australia to provide recycling drop-off points for the public, which includes:
Bunnings has a recycling program for batteries including batteries from power tools. The recycling unit is located at the front of each store. Handheld batteries are accepted including AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, 6V and button batteries.
Officeworks is in the process of rolling out a national battery recycling service in its stores. Single-use and rechargeable batteries in AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, as well as laptop and mobile phone batteries are accepted.
Woolworths supermarkets have battery and mobile phone collection points in store.
Visit B-cycle for a full list of recycling drop-off points.
How do I recycle my batteries?
Even dead batteries have some residual charge, so it is very important to place sticky tape around the battery ‘terminal’ before recycling them. A battery terminal is the electrical connection point of the battery. They are located in different areas depending on the type of battery (at both ends of regular batteries, for example).
Download this handy fact sheet to learn more about the dangers of batteries and how to handle them when it comes time for disposal.
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