Everything you need to know about recycling batteries and electricals

Did you know you could put yourself, our bin crews and recycling centre staff in danger if you dispose of batteries in any of your bins at home? Read on to find out how to dispose of and recycle batteries safely.

Old batteries may seem ‘dead’ but they can cause fires in your home, bin lorries and recycling centres when they are punctured or crushed. They also contain hazardous materials which may endanger our operational staff if not disposed of correctly.

Recycle batteries and electricals safely

When recycling batteries, follow these simple steps to keep your home and our staff safe:

Do not throw them in any of your bins or recycling bins at home.
Store them safely until you can take them to your local recycling points.
Find your local recycling points from Recycle For Greater Manchester or Recycle Your Electricals
- Regular household batteries can be recycled at most supermarkets.
- Electrical stores also take back items – for example when you’re going to buy a new toaster, simply take your old one along to the store to recycle them.

Does my item contain hidden batteries?

There are hidden batteries in many electrical items such as electric toothbrushes, toys, e-cigarettes, vapes, phones, laptops, and many more. You can recycle them by following the same steps above.

If you are unsure how to recycle an item, have a look at our A-Z item guide to help you recycle as much as you can and to dispose of your waste safely.

Choose to reuse

When next replacing batteries, why not buy rechargeable batteries instead? You can use them again and again, which will save you money and help you waste less.

If you’d like to find a new home for your electrical items, you could bring them to your local recycling centre (except for Chester Road and Reliance Street) and place them at the donation container which will then be brought to our Renew Hub.