Safe Battery Handling Tips

Batteries and electronics like cell phones, tablets, and vape devices ignite hundreds of fires each year at waste and recycling facilities. They should never be placed in your trash or recycling bins. Take them to a designated collection facility in your community.

Safe Battery Handling Tips

Recycle batteries and unwanted electronics at collection facilities that take them.
Cover the terminals (where the battery connects with the electronic) with clear tape or put each battery in a separate clear plastic bag.
Put damaged or defective batteries in a container with sand or kitty litter and put them in a cool and dry location until they can be taken to a collection facility.
Don’t store batteries or unwanted electronics for a long time. During storage, electronics and batteries can degrade, increasing the risk of starting a fire.
Never remove embedded or built-in batteries. If a battery doesn’t come out easily, leave the battery alone and recycle the whole device at a collection facility.

Source: Personal Electronics & Battery End-of-Life Management Guide, The Recycling Partnership

Where to take your batteries:

Check with each collection facility for hours, location, and more information about what is accepted.

Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management Facility
Broomfield County Drop-off Events
City of Fort Collins Timberline Recycling Center
Clear Creek County Transfer Station and Recycling Center
Denver County At your Door Special Collection Curbside Pick-Up
Douglas County Drop-Off Events and Curbside Pick-Up
El Paso County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility
Gilpin County Transfer Station and Slash Site
Jefferson County Rooney Road Recycling Center
Larimer County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility
Loveland Recycling Center
Mesa County Hazardous Waste Collection Facility
Salt Lake County Health Department Household Hazardous Waste
Summit County Resource Allocation Park
Teller County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility
Weld County North Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility
Weld County South Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility
West Garfield County Landfill Drop-Off Events

Help Spread the Word

Awareness and education are essential to preventing battery safety incidents. We need your help to spread the message to your family, friends, and community on how to properly recycle batteries and why it can keep them safe. Here's what you can do:

Download and share our social media graphic or create your own using ideas from the Content Corner.
Use our 1/3 print resource as a handout at events, utility bill insert, or any way you want!
Email Rocky Mountain NAHMMA if you have any questions!