Bundaberg Regional Council offers a battery recovery program.
All batteries will be accepted FREE for disposal throughout the region, including alkaline, Li-ion, nickel metal hydride and nickel cadmium. (Excludes electric vehicle batteries)
Locations
Battery collection boxes are located throughout the region - you can drop your batteries at the below locations:
- All local Waste Facilities
- BRC Service Centres (Bundaberg, Gin Gin, Childers)
- Bundaberg Library
Battery Recycling Search
Other local businesses also provide battery recovery programs:
- Woolworths
- Aldi
- Officeworks
- Bunnings
How to dispose of batteries safely
For safety it is recommended to either tape the ends or bag your batteries to reduce contact with other batteries - this will help to reduce the risks of fires in our collection trucks and waste facilities.
What are the benefits of recycling batteries
By separating and diverting batteries from landfill,valuable metals, such as cadmium, zinc, manganese, cobalt and rare earth metals, contained in batteries can be recovered through recycling.
In an effort to encourage battery recycling, Bundaberg Regional Council has formed a partnership with Envirostream to provide a new service to residents.
Envirostream is an onshore mixed-battery recycling company that was established in 2017. See how our region's batteries are recycled under this program in the video below.
During March and April, residents can bring devices with embedded batteries to participating Council waste facilities for free disposal.
Specialised fire-rated collection drums will be at the following local waste facilities:
- Bundaberg
- Qunaba
- Childers
- Tirroan
- Meadowvale
- Woodgate
Find out > waste facility locations and open hours
Items accepted:
Lithium-ion and embedded batteries that are built into common household items and are not designed to be easily removed.
They are found in items such as:
- Electric toothbrushes and shavers;
- Flashing or light-up toys;
- Bluetooth speakers and headphones;
- Smart watches and wearable devices;
- Power tools;
- Small solar lights;
"If it lights up, makes a sound, moves or needs charging, it likely contains a battery"
Items not accepted:
- Commercial/bulk quantities of e-scooters
- EV batteries
- Mobility scooters
Residents are reminded never to place batteries or battery-powered devices in kerbside bins.
FAQs
Do I have to remove the battery first?
Do not try to remove the embedded battery from these devices if it is not able to be clicked out by hand. Using tools to remove the battery may cause damage and increase the risk of fire.
Bring the entire device in.
Can I dispose of batteries in my kerbside bins?
Never dispose of batteries or battery-operated items in waste or recycling bins.
This includes your households’ kerbside bins. When batteries are compacted or punctured in collection trucks or at waste facilities, they can start fires that pose serious safety risks to people and cause significant damage to local infrastructure or major disruptions to waste and recycling services.
What types of products contain batteries?
If you feel like almost everything has a battery in it these days, you’re not alone. While it’s easy to see where standard AA and AAA batteries belong in some devices, built-in rechargeable batteries are much trickier to deal with.
Batteries are found in many everyday household items, including laptops, mobile phones, power tools, electric toothbrushes, bluetooth speakers, items that light up, kid’s toys, e-scooters or e-bikes, vapes, and cameras.
How can I safely store batteries at home?
Keep used batteries and old devices with embedded batteries in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, heat sources, or flammable materials.
What are the environmental risks of improper battery disposal?
Improper disposal can lead to the release of toxic substances into the environment, polluting ecosystems, harming wildlife, and posing risks to human health through contaminated water or soil.
What should I do if I have a damaged or leaking battery?
Contact EcoCycle to arrange a quoted collection service from your property:
- Email: sales@ecocycle.com.au
- Phone number: (03) 9308 94157
Lithium-ion batteries with any sign of damage should be treated as damaged and potentially dangerous (particularly if there has been water or liquid in the battery, or exposure to or submersion in saltwater).
Handle damaged or leaking batteries with care by placing them in a nonconductive container (e.g., a plastic bag or container) and avoid touching the leaking material directly.
What happens to the batteries after I drop them off?
EcoCycle collects the batteries and embedded battery devices and transports them in the safety-rated drums and bins to their recycling facility in Melbourne.
How does your local facility keep them safe from not catching fire or exploding?
Embedded batteries collected through this program are stored in specialised UN safety-rated drums designed to prevent explosions, leaks and fires.
How should I bring batteries in?
If battery terminals touch, they can spark and catch fire. To prevent this, tape the terminals of used batteries. Always use clear sticky tape.
Carefully collect your taped, used batteries and transport them to a B-cycle accredited Drop off point in a fire-resistant container, like a glass jar, for safe disposal.
Keep batteries away from children, especially small batteries that can be swallowed, like button batteries.
Place leaking batteries in a zip-lock bag. Place damaged batteries in a fireproof container or blanket.
This project is proudly supported by the Queensland government Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, in collaboration with Bundaberg Regional Council, Gympie Regional Council and North Burnett Regional Council, as part of the Wide Bay Burnett Resource Recovery Group.