Embedded batteries
Products with in-built batteries, known as "embedded batteries", are increasingly prevalent in our everyday lives. Chances are you might not even be aware of how many embedded batteries are in your home.
Products with embedded batteries are difficult to dispose of or recycle due to the different components and materials they are made of. Batteries should never be disposed of in your kerbside red, yellow or green lid bins as they contain chemical substances that can be harmful to human health and the environment and may catch fire in garbage trucks and waste facilities.
The EPA has established a trial, in partnership with local councils, to accept products with embedded batteries at selected Community Recycling Centre locations.
The embedded batteries trial started in September 2024 and will run until September 2026.
Products accepted at the embedded batteries trial sites
Common items you might have at home that contain an embedded battery are:
- Bluetooth speakers and headphones
- electric toothbrushes
- e-scooters, e-bikes and hover boards
- flashing/light up toys – particularly wands or other hard plastic products
- personal care devices (eg. shavers)
- powerpacks and portable charging devices
- remote controlled and ride-on toys
- vacuum cleaners (cordless hand-held and robotic)
- vapes
- wearable devices such as smart watches, trackers and medical aids.
If you have an unusual product, please phone your embedded batteries trial location to check if it can be accepted.
Many products have removable batteries, so if the batteries can be easily removed, please only bring the loose batteries.
Products not accepted under the embedded batteries trial
Products covered under the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) should be directed to an e-waste collection. Some councils provide this service at their Community Recycling Centre or host a pop-up collection service. This includes e-waste such as televisions, computers, printers, computer parts and peripherals. If you have one of these products and it contains an embedded battery, such as rechargeable gaming controllers and laptops, please drop off at an e-waste collection point. Check with your local council for an event near you.
Mobile phones and associated accessories should be directed to your nearest MobileMuster collection point. MobileMuster is the product stewardship scheme for the collection and recycling of old and broken phones, chargers and accessories. These can be recycled at any MobileMuster location.
Oversize items (larger than 20kg) are also not accepted at embedded battery collection trial sites, except for e-bikes where the battery can't be removed. Check with your Council before presenting anything over 20kg or that is bulky/requires special delivery and/or requires more than one person from a manual handling perspective.
Free recycling of other batteries
For information on how to recycle all other batteries please visit Safe Battery Recycling
Community Recycling Centre trial sites
There are now 34 Community Recycling Centres participating in the embedded batteries trial. Each location has varying operating times. It is recommended that you check your local Council’s website or visit cleanout.com.au before your trip.
Council | Name of CRC | Address |
---|---|---|
Albury City | Albury | Albury Waste Management Centre 565 Mudge Street, off Centaur Road Lavington |
Armidale Regional | Armidale *NEW* | Armidale Waste Management Facility 108 Long Swamp Road Armidale |
Ballina Shire | Ballina *NEW* | Ballina Resource Recovery Centre 167 Southern Cross Drive Ballina |
Bathurst Regional | Bathurst | Bathurst Waste Management Centre 395 College Road South Bathurst |
Bega Valley Shire | Bega | Merimbula Waste and Recycling Depot Red Hill Road (off Sapphire Coast Drive) Tura Beach |
Bellingen Shire | Bellingen | Raleigh Waste Management Centre 146 Shortcut Road Raleigh |
Blue Mountains City | Blaxland | Blaxland Waste Management Facility 28–30 Attunga Road Blaxland |
Katoomba *NEW* | Katoomba Resource Recovery and Waste Management Facility 49 Woodlands Road Katoomba | |
Campbelltown City | Campbelltown | Campbelltown Community Recycling Centre 2 Hepher Road Campbelltown |
Central Coast | Buttonderry | Buttonderry Community Recycling Centre 850 Hue Hue Road Jilliby |
City of Newcastle | Summerhill | Summerhill Waste Management Centre Summerhill Road (off Minmi Road) Wallsend |
Cowra | Cowra *NEW* | Cowra Material Recycling Facility 236 Glenlogan Road Cowra |
Dubbo Regional | Dubbo | Whylandra Waste & Recycling Centre Cooba Road Dubbo |
Goulburn Mulwaree | Goulburn *NEW* | Goulburn Waste Management Centre 100 Sinclair Street Goulburn |
Greater Hume | Culcairn *NEW* | Culcairn Waste Management Facility 48 Schnaars Road Culcairn |
Hawkesbury City | Hawkesbury | Hawkesbury City Waste Management Facility 1 The Driftway South Windsor |
Inner West | Leichardt | Leichardt Weekend Transfer Station 50–54 Moore Street Leichardt |
Kempsey Shire
| Kempsey *NEW* | Kempsey Waste Management Centre 638 Crescent Head Road Kempsey |
Kiama Municipal | Kiama *NEW* | Minnamurra Waste and Recycling Depot 446 Riverside Drive Minnamurra |
Kyogle | Kyogle *NEW* | Kyogle Landfill Facility Runnymede Road Kyogle |
Lake Macquarie City | Awaba | Awaba Community Recycling Centre 367 Wilton Road Awaba |
Belmont North *NEW* | Belmont North Community Recycling Centre 56–60 Floraville Road Belmont North | |
Lismore | Lismore | Lismore Community Recycling Centre 313 Wyrallah Road East Lismore |
Lithgow City | Lithgow *NEW* | Lithgow Solid Waste Facility 68 Geordie Street Lithgow |
Liverpool City | Liverpool | Liverpool Community Recycling Centre 99 Rose Street Liverpool |
Murray River | Moama *NEW* | Moama Waste Management Facility 91 Centre Road Moama |
Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils | Nothern Sydney | Northern Sydney Community Recycling Centre 8 Waltham Street Artarmon |
Port Macquarie-Hastings | Port Macquarie | Port Macquarie Waste Management Facility Kingfisher Road Port Macquarie |
Randwick City | Randwick *NEW* | Randwick Recycling Centre 72 Perry Street Matraville |
Shoalhaven City | Shoalhaven | West Nowra Landfill Facility 120 Flatrock Road Mundamia |
Tamworth Regional | Tamworth | Tamworth Waste Management Facility 123A Forest Road Tamworth |
Wagga Wagga City | Wagga Wagga | Gregadoo Waste Management Centre 132 Ashford Road Gregadoo |
Wingecarribee Shire | Wingecarribee | Resource Recovery Centre 177 Berrima Road Moss Vale |
Wollongong City | Wollongong | Wollongong Community Recycling Centre 133 Reddalls Road Kembla Grange |