Batteries - Household

Household batteries including alkaline and rechargeable batteries cannot be landfilled in California because they contain acids and toxic metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel. Batteries can also be a fire risk so it's important to recycle them properly. By law, retailers selling rechargeable batteries are required to take back used rechargeable batteries weighing 11 pounds or less from their customers. Curbside recycling is now available to all residents in Sonoma County by placing a clear bag of batteries on top of the recycling bin during recycling day. In addition, you can dispose of all kinds of batteries through the Agency's Household Hazardous Waste Facility and related programs.

To locate a free retailer battery drop-off site near you, please visit The Battery Network.

To prevent shorting and fires, please tape the terminals of all rechargeable batteries and alkaline batteries 9-volt or larger. Tape your batteries with heavy duty clear tape. Clear tape allows the recycler to determine the battery chemistry for proper sorting. If using curbside battery services, tape the terminals of all batteries.

Alkaline batteries:

Examples: AAA • AA • C and D-cell • 9-volt • Button batteries. Button batteries are typically found in cameras and hearing aids.

Rechargeable batteries:

Examples: Nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd) • Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)• Lithium Ion (Li-Ion)• Nickel Zinc (Ni-Zn)• Small Sealed Lead (SSLA/Pb). Rechargeable batteries are typically found in cordless phones, power tools and laptops.

Related topics:

See Curbside Services: Blue Cart
See Household Hazardous Waste Facility for Residents