Recycle Batteries Properly to Prevent Fires

Keep Batteries Out of Curbside Carts – Here's Why

​Disposing of Every Battery Properly is a Big Deal!

Everything in your curbside​ collection carts gets compacted in our collection trucks. Crushed or punctured batteries spark, catch fire or explode. It’s not just unsafe! In California, it’s illegal.​​

  • NEVER toss batteries or products with built-in batteries in curbside carts or bulky waste pickups. All types of batteries (yes, even the little ones!) contain toxic and flammable materials!​​
Batteries combust when our trucks crush

Real Danger, Real Consequences​​​​​​

DID YOU KNOW? ​ 

Our collection trucks COMPACT your Garbage, Recycling, Organics and Bulky Waste Pickup material. When a battery ends up in a collection truck and it is crushed or ​makes contact with metal or liquid, it can spark a fire inside the truck!​

​​​​​These fires: ​​​​​​ 

  • Put employees and neighborhoods at serious risk
  • Damage or destroy expensive equipment
  • Delay curbside collection and bulky waste pickups
  • Waste time, money, and resources

It doesn’t stop there...

At Kiefer Landfill and North Area Recovery Station, heavy machinery can also crush batteries — triggering dangerous fires that damage equipment, harm the environment, and disrupt services.​

Tape, tub, take. Don't toss batteries!

You Can Stop Battery Fires Starting at Home! Here’s How!

It’s free, easy, and only takes a few steps!

COLLECT 

  • Gather used batteries in a repurposed box or hard plastic container. 
  • Keep batteries out of your curbside collection carts and bulky waste pickups.

INSPECT & TAPE 

  • Look for leaks or corrosion.
  • Tape over the positive (+) and negative (-) ends with clear tape for the following:
    • All rechargeable batteries, such as lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, and nickel-metal hydride. 
    • Coin/button-shaped batteries marked as lithium. 
    • 9 volt+ alkaline/carbon zinc/lithium batteries.

DROP OFF BATTERIES FOR SAFE RECYCLING 

DROP OFF DEVICES FOR PROPER E-WASTE DISPOSAL 

  • Have a product with a built-in battery you can’t remove? Don’t put it in a curbside collection cart or bulky waste pickup! Instead:

SPREAD THE WORD - DON'T TOSS BATTERIES! DROP THEM OFF INSTEAD!​ 

  • Share the dangers of improper battery disposal with friends, family, and neighbors. The more people who know, the safer we all are.​ If you have questions about how to recycle an item, check out our "How Do I Get Rid Of...?" tool. 

Bottom Line – Dispose of Every Battery Properly

You have the power to prevent battery fires - drop off batteries - don't toss them.

Batteries don’t belong in curbside collection carts or bulky waste pickups. Drop off batteries free at a local Household Hazardous Waste facility. 

Ensure products with built-in batteries are properly recycled through an e-waste program at a local disposal/recycling facility​.  

Let’s protect our neighborhoods, workers, and the environment by recycling every battery properly.

Battery Recall - Fire and Burn Hazards

Do not throw recalled lithium-ion battery or device in the trash, in the general recycling stream (e.g., street-level or curbside recycling bins), or in used battery recycling boxes found at various retail and home improvement stores.

Recalls will be posted for at least 6 months.​​ Reference all ​recalled items on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website​ by searching "battery."​

  • 25-Jun-26 - Recall Number 26-575
    Super Off-Road Solar Power Banks Recalled Due to Overheating; Imported by Spector & Co.

  • 28-May-26 - Recall Number 26-510
    Lithium Coin Batteries Recalled Due to Battery Ingestion; Violates Federal Statute for Child-Resistant Packaging of Coin Batteries; Imported by Proudly American Store, of Canada

  • 14-May-26 - Recall Number 26-484
    Lithium Coin Batteries Recalled Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Battery Ingestion; Violates Federal Statute for Child-Resistant Packaging of Coin Batteries; Imported and Sold on Amazon by LiCB

  • 7-May-26 - Recall Number 26-465
    EEMB USA Recalls Battery Pouches Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Battery Ingestion; Violate Federal Statute for Child-Resistant Packaging of Coin Batteries

  • 16-Apr-26 - Recall Number 26-426
    Apex Gaming PCs Recalls Manik and Apex-branded ATX Computer Power Supplies Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Electrical Shock and Electrocution Hazards

  • 16-Apr-26 - Recall Number 26-424
    ZMC Group Recalls LED Finger Beam Lights Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Battery Ingestion; Violates Mandatory Standard for Toys

  • 16-Apr-26 - Recall Number 26-418
    Casely Reannounces Recall of Wireless Portable Power Banks Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Fire and Burn Hazards; One Fatality Reported After 2025 Recall

  • 9-Apr-26 - Recall Number 26-398   
    ShymeryDirect LED Lights Recalled Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Battery Ingestion; Violates Mandatory Standard for Consumer Products with Coin Batteries

  • 2-Apr-26 - Recall Number 26-379
    HTRC and Haisito T400 Battery Chargers Recalled Due to Risk of Serious Injury and Death from Fire Hazard; Manufactured by Huizhou Haitan Technology

  • 19-Feb-26 - Recall Number 26-274
    JJGoo LED Balloon Lights Recalled Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Battery Ingestion; Violates Mandatory Standard for Consumer Products with Button Cell Batteries

  • 5-Feb-26 - Recall Number 26-249 
    Dresbe LED Christmas Headbands Recalled Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Battery Ingestion; Violate Mandatory Standard for Consumer Products with Button Cell Batteries

  • 5-Feb-26 - Recall Number 26-246 
    Kitosun Submersible LED Lights Recalled Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Battery Ingestion; Violates Mandatory Standard for Consumer Products with Coin Batteries

  • 15-Jan-26 - Recall Number 26-183
    Energizer Recalls Rechargeable Lanterns Due to Overheating

  • 8-Jan-26 - Recall Number 26-179
    Isla Rae Magnetic Wireless Chargers Recalled Due to Fire and Burn Hazards; Sold by TJX at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls Stores

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Never miss your curbside collection day!​  The app is available to download in the app stores for both Apple and Android devices.​​