Batteries
Battery waste could exceed 100,000 tonnes by 2036.
Batteries are a common form of household hazardous waste. They should never be put in your recycling or waste bin as they can cause fires in garbage trucks and waste facilities.
The Problem
Sending batteries to landfill is a huge waste of valuable resources. If recycled, 95% of the components of a battery can be turned into new batteries or used in other industries. Think of batteries as feedstock for new products.
Most batteries contain hazardous materials and can pollute the environment when disposed of in landfills or when thrown out elsewhere. Materials like lead, cadmium and mercury can poison people and animals and contaminate soils and water, and they stay in the environment for a long time.
What can you do?
By recycling batteries, you can be part of the solution to a growing waste problem. To support battery recycling, be sure to buy batteries with the B-cycle logo. Remember to buy rechargeable and recyclable batteries whenever you can.T he purchase price of these batteries includes recycling at end of life. Further information can be found here. Fire agencies also have information on battery safety and charging
List of Services
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Reduce your use
Can you reduce the number of batteries you use? Minimise battery usage by connecting appliances to the mains power where possible. Always use the correct charging equipment for your appliance and make sure you check that the charging equipment meets relevant Australian standards
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Recharge
Buying rechargeable batteries is an important way to reduce battery waste. Each battery can be recharged up to 1000 times, saving you money and reducing pollution from discarded batteries. There are many retailers who sell battery rechargers, which conveniently take less than 15 minutes to recharge. Always use the correct charging equipment for your appliance. Check that the charging equipment meets relevant Australian standards:
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RecycleList Item 1
B-cycle, Australia’s battery stewardship scheme, is the government authorised scheme supporting a collection network for used batteries. You can search their website by postcode for a convenient drop-off location. Any brand of AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries (both rechargeable and non-rechargeable) are accepted - simply drop your used batteries into the dedicated bins in store.
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The Australian Battery Recycling Initiative
ABRI promotes the responsible environmental management of batteries at end of life. More information can be found on their website.
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Vehicle BatteriesList Item 4
98% of the components of a lead acid battery can be reclaimed for recycling - so make sure you return your vehicle battery to your nearest Century drop off centre.
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Commercial battery recycling
For commercial battery recycling solutions visit the Australian Battery Recycling Initiative and search for a recycler by battery type and state/territory:
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How Will You Step Up?
We're calling on you to Step Up and make a pledge towards reducing your waste contribution! Could you Step Up by saying no to straws? To bringing your own waterbottle? To composting? To buying recycled, to choosing not to buy fast fashion or refusing to purchase fruit and vegetables pre-wrapped in plastic?
There are so many ways to Step Up! And thousands of small steps together, make a big difference! Together we can all be part of the solution.
