The Problem

Batteries are the most common form of household hazardous waste. Not only that, this waste is growing by 20% per year, and could exceed 100,000 tonnes by 2036.

Sending batteries to landfill is a huge waste of valuable resources. However, if recycled, 95% of the components of a battery can be turned into new batteries or used in other industries!

Why Recycle Batteries?

By recycling batteries, you can be part of the solution to a growing waste problem. As a start, remember to buy rechargeable and recyclable batteries whenever you can.

Secondly, check out 4 reasons for recycling batteries below:

1. Protect the Environment

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.

By recycling your batteries you can protect the environment.

2. Batteries Pose a Fire Hazard

Batteries can catch fire! Lithium ion batteries are particularly dangerous as they can catch fire if they are damaged or if they overheat. Do not send your batteries to the trash as they can cause fire in the truck or in the landfill. This is very bad news as landfill fires can cause serious large scale air pollution.

By recycling your batteries through a battery recycler, you can avoid this fire risk.

3. Create a Circular Economy

Everyone is talking about the circular economy! It’s new wording, but an old and wise idea. It means that we recognise that to make new products such as batteries, the best way is to use the materials from old ones. This is becoming very important as to some materials contained in batteries are becoming hard to get.

If recycled, 95% of the components of a battery can be turned into new batteries or used in other industries! By recycling your batteries, you can help make sure we have enough materials to make the batteries of the future.

We’ve written a blog about Circular Economies – which you can check out here

4. Avoid supporting the slave trade

New batteries can be made from raw materials or recycled materials. Cobalt for example can come from mining operations or recycled batteries. Unfortunately, cobalt contains toxic elements and is also mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where slave labour conditions exist for both adults and children.

By recycling your batteries you can be sure that the cobalt is being reused and avoid supporting the slave trade.

Darwin Drop Off Locations

Small Batteries

For households and businesses with small batteries, you can search for a location to drop-off your used batteries at Find a B-cycle Drop-off location.

Darwin locations include:

Bunnings Darwin Warehouse
Total Tools Darwin
Sydney Tools Winnellie
Officeworks Stuart Park
Bunnings Palmerston Warehouse

You can search for more locations by postcode and battery type here

Car Batteries

Disposing of car batteries can be as simple as taking it down to an automotive store and dropping it off.

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 drop off centre.