FREE embedded battery drop-off weekend

Batteries by themselves are not usually dangerous, but when batteries are placed in kerbside bins and they are combined with other materials and crushed, fire risks increase greatly.

There have been more than 10,000 fires and fire events across Australia in the last year related to batteries incorrectly placed in kerbside bins. In late October 2024, a fire in an Adelaide Hills recycling truck started by a battery in a kerbside bin caused over $150,000 damage.

This trial event will focus on ‘difficult to recycle’ and ‘hard to access’ embedded batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries. Most of us have many of these kinds of batteries in our house that are no longer working. You can recycle these embedded battery products for free at this trial event.

Accepted embedded battery items include:

• bluetooth speakers and headphones
• electric toothbrushes
• e-scooters, e-bikes and hover boards
• flashing/light up toys – particularly wands or other hard plastic products
• personal care devices (such as shavers and massagers)
• powerpacks and portable charging devices
• remote controlled and ride-on toys
• vacuum cleaners (such as cordless, hand-held and robotic)
• vapes and e-cigarettes
• lighting products such as tealight candles, lanterns and torches
• wearable devices such as smart watches, trackers and medical aids.

Note: individual items and/or items bundled together must be less than 20kg.

Following the event, the collected embedded battery materials will be transported by Cleanaway to the EcoCycle processing facility in Victoria.

At the processing facility, the materials will go through a separation process, where the battery components will be removed from each item. From there, the batteries and non-battery materials will go on to be recycled and turned into new products.

Batteries contain recyclable materials and metals like copper, aluminium, manganese, zinc, lithium, cobalt and steel that have many uses in manufacturing, especially electronics. Recycling these materials avoids the need to mine and refine virgin rare earth materials contributing to a more circular economy.

• Loose handheld AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, 6V and button cell (‘watch’) batteries
• Detachable appliance batteries and power tool batteries
• E-waste or household appliances

South Australians can already easily recycle many kinds of batteries and e-waste for free, so these products are not accepted at the drop-off event. 

You can access free local recycling near you for these items whenever it’s convenient for you. You do not need to wait until this drop-off event to recycle your batteries and to keep batteries out of your kerbside bins.

Batteries

Collection points for standard batteries, such as AA, AAA, C D, 9V, 6V and button batteries are available at your local Aldi, Bunnings, Coles, Foodland, IGA and Woolworths stores.

Other B-cycle accredited drop-off locations can also be found on the B-cycle website.

Many local councils also accept loose batteries. You can look up your local council to confirm if they offer any battery drop-off options.

Once your battery is used, please tape both ends of the battery terminals and store them in a safe location, out of reach of children, before dropping them off at your nearest battery recycling collection point.

E-waste

Many retailers will accept e-waste and certain types of batteries now, and they can be recycled ahead of, and following, the drop-off event, at a time when it’s convenient for you.

• Bunnings
• The Good Guys 
• JB Hi Fi 
• MobileMuster (old and broken phones, chargers and accessories)
• Officeworks
• Unplug N' Drop sites

This event is a trial to understand just how many and what kinds of embedded battery products are currently in the community. There is a national scheme for embedded battery recycling being developed, but it is not operational yet.

Ahead of this national response, the South Australian government is trialling a drop-off event at four collection locations that are already established to take household chemicals from householders and have the appropriate safety and infrastructure. This trial will help inform the timing and location of future drop-off events. 

There are existing drop-off options for e-waste and various batteries outside of the metro area:

Batteries

Collection points for standard batteries, such as AA, AAA, C D, 9V, 6V and button batteries are available at your local Aldi, Bunnings, Coles, Foodland, IGA and Woolworths stores.

Other B-cycle accredited drop-off locations can also be found on the B-cycle website.

Many local councils also accept loose batteries. You can look up your local council to confirm if they offer any battery dopr-off options.

Once your battery is used, please tape both ends of the battery terminals and store them in a safe location, out of reach of children, before dropping them off at your nearest battery recycling collection point.

E-waste

Many retailers will accept e-waste and certain types of batteries now, and they can be recycled ahead of, and following, the drop-off event, at a time when it’s convenient for you.

• Bunnings
• The Good Guys 
• JB Hi Fi 
• MobileMuster (old and broken phones, chargers and accessories)
• Officeworks
• Unplug N' Drop sites

• No items or loads over 20kg that would require more than one of our staff members to lift and handle.
• Please be patient with council staff who will work as quickly as possible to take your embedded batteries and get you on your way.
• No other items are accepted at this event – please do not bring hazardous chemicals, textiles or other recyclable items. This event is only for embedded batteries.