Yes, batteries are generally classified as electronic waste, though the specifics depend on the type of battery and where you live. Under the Basel Convention, the international treaty governing hazardous waste, e-waste includes all components and consumables that are part of electronic equipment when it becomes waste. Batteries fall squarely into that definition when they’re inside devices. Standalone batteries, however, often occupy their own regulatory category, which creates real confusion for people trying to dispose of them properly.
How Batteries Are Classified Under Law
The short answer is that batteries exist in a gray zone between e-waste and their own dedicated waste category, and the rules change depending on which government you ask. Internationally, the Basel Convention treats batteries embedded in electronics as part of the e-waste stream. At its 2022 meeting, the Convention updated its annexes to list both hazardous and non-hazardous e-waste, with separate codes for each. Batteries also get their own intersessional working group under the Convention, reflecting the fact that they’re significant enough to warrant dedicated guidelines.
In the United States, the EPA classifies certain batteries as “universal waste” under Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 273. Universal waste is a streamlined category for common hazardous items that need special handling but aren’t managed through the full hazardous waste system. This category covers batteries that meet the definition of hazardous waste. Batteries that aren’t hazardous, like standard alkaline cells, fall outside these rules entirely. Federal law also specifically targets battery chemistry through the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act, which phased out mercury in batteries and set up recycling frameworks for nickel-cadmium and small sealed lead-acid batteries.
Not All Batteries Follow the Same Rules
The type of battery you’re holding determines what you’re supposed to do with it, and the differences are significant. Standard alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries, the common AA, AAA, C, and D cells, can go in your household trash in most U.S. communities. They don’t contain enough hazardous material to require special disposal under current federal guidelines.
Lithium batteries are a different story. The EPA explicitly warns against putting lithium single-use batteries, including button cells and coin cells, in the trash or municipal recycling bins. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, the type in your phone, laptop, and power tools, also require separate handling. The label on the battery will identify the chemistry. If it says “lithium” anywhere, keep it out of your regular garbage.
Why Improper Disposal Is Dangerous
Batteries that end up in landfills can leach heavy metals like lead and cadmium into the surrounding environment. Research at landfill sites has measured lead concentrations in leachate (the liquid that drains through waste) as high as 2.17 mg/L, with cadmium reaching 0.32 mg/L. These metals don’t stay put. They migrate into surrounding soil and are absorbed by plants, creating a chain of contamination that moves through ecosystems.
The more immediate danger, though, is fire. Lithium-ion batteries that get crushed or punctured in waste facilities can ignite, and this problem is getting worse. Waste and recycling facilities in North America reported an average of 19.4 lithium-ion battery fires per year between 2019 and 2023. In 2024, publicly reported fires at electronics recycling facilities jumped 56% over the previous year, with 14 incidents across North America. These fires are difficult to extinguish, can spread rapidly through facilities full of combustible materials, and put workers at serious risk.
Where to Recycle Batteries
For rechargeable batteries, the easiest option in the U.S. is a retail drop-off. Call2Recycle operates more than 25,000 collection sites across North America. Lowe’s stores have offered free rechargeable battery recycling at locations across the continental U.S. since 2004, with collection bins near store entrances. Many Home Depot, Best Buy, and Staples locations offer similar programs. Check Call2Recycle’s website to find the nearest drop-off point for your zip code.
For single-use lithium batteries, your municipality may run periodic household hazardous waste collection events. These are typically free and accept a range of items including batteries, paint, and old electronics. Your local government’s waste management website will list upcoming dates.
What Happens to Recycled Batteries
Battery recycling recovers valuable metals that would otherwise need to be mined. Modern recycling processes can extract roughly 90% of key metals like cobalt, nickel, lithium, and manganese from spent lithium-ion batteries. These recovered materials go back into new battery production, reducing the need for raw material extraction.
Electric vehicle batteries get an even longer useful life before recycling. When an EV battery loses enough capacity that it no longer performs well in a car (typically after dropping to around 70-80% of its original capacity), it can still store energy effectively for stationary applications. These “second-life” batteries are being used to store electricity from solar and wind installations, smooth out fluctuations in renewable energy output, and help manage grid congestion during peak demand. This repurposing extends the battery’s total useful life by years before it ever reaches the recycling stage, and it provides relatively affordable energy storage that supports the shift to renewable power.
The Regulatory Outlook
The EPA is planning to propose new rules specifically targeting lithium battery management and recycling, recognizing that existing universal waste regulations weren’t designed for the sheer volume of lithium-ion batteries now entering the waste stream. As electric vehicles, portable electronics, and battery-powered tools continue to grow in market share, the gap between how many batteries need proper disposal and how many actually get it is widening. Whether batteries are technically “e-waste” or their own waste category matters less than the practical reality: they contain hazardous materials, they pose fire risks, and they hold recoverable resources. Treating them as regular trash is both unsafe and wasteful.