Did you know?
Batteries are the most common form of hazardous waste disposed of by Australian households. When put in your recycling or waste bin they can cause fires in garbage trucks and waste facilities.
The Issue
Sending batteries to landfill is a huge waste of beneficial resources.
When disposed of correctly, around 95% of alkaline and lithium battery components can be recycled in Australia and can be made into new products such as streetlights and car parts!
In Australia, about 350 million batteries are purchased every year. More than two thirds of them end up in landfill, where they can cause health and environmental problems.
Councils and waste contractors have seen a significant rise in the number of truck and rubbish fires caused by batteries, which if damaged are explosive and cause fires that are difficult to put out.
Heavy metals in batteries include cadmium, nickel, lead, and mercury, are all toxic and dangerous to human, animal and environmental health if not managed properly.
The environment is damaged by batteries in landfill because once their casings disintegrate, metals and chemicals inside the battery leach out.
How Can You Help?
You can prevent this type of environmental damage by dropping batteries at a designated drop off point. Once we’ve received them, they can be made into new products such as streetlights and car parts.
Some of the new uses for your old batteries include:
- Recycling nickel to produce stainless steel.
- Recycling acid to form sodium sulphate, which is used to make detergents, glass, and textiles.
- The production of new batteries, fertilisers, waste bins and plant pots
Small household batteries
In Albury, you can dispose of your unwanted household batteries at either the Albury Recycling Centre located at the Albury Waste Management Centre or at the many local drop off locations listed here around town:
| Albury City Council Offices 553 Kiewa Street, Albury Monday - Friday: 8.30am to 5pm 02 6023 8111 | Mirambeena Community Centre 19 Martha Mews, Lavington Monday - Friday: 9am to 3pm 02 6043 5875 |
| Albury LibraryMuseum Cnr Kiewa & Swift Streets, Albury Monday, Wednesday & Thursday: 10am to 7pm Tuesday and Friday: 10am to 5pm Saturday: 10am to 4pm Sunday: 12pm to 4pm 02 6023 8333 | Orana Community Centre 40 Cardo Drive, Springdale Heights Monday - Thursday: 9am to 3.30pm Fri: 9am to 1pm 02 6025 3988 |
| Lavington Library Northpoint Tower Griffith Road, Lavington Monday Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 9.30am to 5.30pm Thursday: 9.30am to 6pm Saturday: 9.30am to 1pm 02 6043 5645 | Glenecho Neighbourhood Centre 949 Burrows Road, Glenroy Monday - Friday 9am to 3pm 02 6025 9359 |
| Albury Upcycle & Recycle Shop 565 Mudge Street, Hamilton Valley Monday - Friday: 10am to 3pm Sat & Sun: 10am to 2pm 0439 887 496 | |
Accepted batteries include: AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, 6V, button batteries and batteries from detachable or removable household devices, appliances and power tools.
Please note: Tape both ends of battery terminals before dropping them off at a designated collection site.
Handheld lithium batteries can also be returned to Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, IGA and Bunnings.
Vehicle Batteries
Your unwanted vehicle batteries can be dropped off at the Albury Recycling Centre located at the Albury Waste Management Centre.
Embedded Batteries Trial
The NSW EPA has established a trial, in partnership with AlburyCity Council, to accept products with embedded batteries at the Albury Recycling Centre. This includes e-cigarettes and vapes.
To find out more, please visit: Embedded Battery Trial
Commercial Lithium-ion batteries
The Albury Recycling Centre does not accept Commercial lithium-ion batteries. These require direct disposal at a specialist recovery facility.
Battery Recycling | Livium are an EPA-licenced lithium-ion battery recycling facility located in Melbourne, Victoria.