When batteries are thrown away in regular kerbside bins, they create a significant safety hazard. When compacted in trucks or facilities, batteries can spark and start a fire, endangering drivers, operators, the community and the environment.

Batteries include all alkaline and lithium household batteries, lead-acid vehicle batteries and those that can be found in a wide variety of household items, from electric toothbrushes, rechargeable children’s toys, power tools, mobile phones and electronic devices, commonly called embedded batteries.

It’s important for everyone to remember that all batteries need to be correctly recycled when it’s time for an upgrade.

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Batteries should never be put in kerbside bins and should instead be taken to a specialist drop off point located throughout East Gippsland, such as a B-cycle drop-off point, supermarkets and battery retailers, or Council’s Waste and Resource Recovery facilities.

Our friends at B-Cycle have four simple steps to help protect us all:

1. Never dispose of batteries in waste or recycling bins
2. Store your batteries safely
3. Tape used battery terminals with clear sticky tape
4. Take used batteries to a battery recycling drop off point conveniently located throughout East Gippsland

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For more information regarding safe disposal, contact us on 51 539500 or at feedback@egipps.vic.gov.au