Batteries - Household - Single-Use
Primary/Single-Use batteries cannot be recharged and must be disposed of once they wear out. Alkaline, lithium, silver oxide, zinc-air, zinc-carbon, and zinc-chloride are all types of primary batteries.
Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
Use the Call2Recycle Battery Drop-off Location Finder for single-use, rechargeable, e-bike, and high energy batteries and cellphones.
Learn more about Lithium Ion batteries and their safe disposal from the EPA.
Vendors
| Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Disposal Method | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GreenCitizen | 1831 Old Bayshore Hwy, Ste. #2 | Burlingame | Recycle | Free Drop-off | They ONLY accept UPS batteries. Non-rechargable electronic batteries and single use alkaline batteries are NOT accepted. | |
| Staples (San Ramon) | 2710 Crow Canyon Rd. | San Ramon | Recycle | Free Drop-off | ||
| Battery Solutions |
618 E Auto Center Dr STE 111 |
Mesa | Recycle | Mail-in for a Fee | ||
| Cole Hardware, Vallejo St. | 627 Vallejo St | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | All household-type, laptop, cell phone, and rechargeable batteries accepted. Please tape over lithium battery contacts. | |
| Walgreens | 499 Haight St. | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | ||
| Walgreens | 500 Geary St. | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | ||
| Walgreens | 2690 Mission St. | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | ||
| Quick Light Recycling | 170 South Spruce Ave | South San Francisco | Recycle | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
| Mastick Senior Center & Thrift Store | 1155 Santa Clara Ave | Alameda | Recycle | Free Drop-off | Accepts batteries from members only - no large quantities. Drop off in the Senior Center. | |
| Walgreens | 1524 Polk St. | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | ||
| SF Hardware | 512 Divisadero St. | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | All household-type, laptop, cell phone, and rechargeable batteries accepted. Please tape over lithium battery contacts. | |
| G Mazzei & Son Hardware | 5166 3rd St. | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | All household-type, laptop, cell phone, and rechargeable batteries accepted. Please tape over lithium battery contacts. | |
| SMaRT Station | 301 Carl Rd | Sunnyvale | Recycle | Free Drop-off | Please note that the SMaRT Station serves Mountain View and Sunnyvale residents only. | |
| Staples (Pleasant Hill) | 2120 Crescent Dr. | Pleasant Hill | Recycle | Free Drop-off | ||
| Retriev Technologies | 265 Quary Rd SE | Lancaster | Recycle | Mail-in for a Fee | Big Green Box Program for Alkaline, Nickel Cadmium, Nickel-Metal Hydride, Lead Acid, Lithium Ion and Primary Lithium for corporations, consumers, schools, government agencies and anyone. | |
| Center Hardware | 3003 3rd St | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | All household-type, laptop, cell phone, and rechargeable batteries accepted. Please tape over lithium battery contacts. | |
| Call2Recycle Battery Drop-off Location Finder |
1000 Parkwood Circle Suite 200 |
Atlanta | Recycle | Free Drop-off, Mail-in for a Fee | Accept all dry-cell single use batteries weighing up to 11 lbs, such as alkaline (AA, AAA, etc.), lithium primary. If have 500 lbs/pallet load, can request Bill of Lading. Use the locator to find drop-off locations. | |
| Walgreens | 5260 Diamond Heights Blvd. | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | ||
| Walgreens | 275 Sacramento St. | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | ||
| Tri-CED Community Recycling | 33377 Western Ave. | Union City | Recycle | Free Drop-off |
Curbside Service
| Special Action | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda |
Residents may place household batteries (A, AA, AAA, C, D, and 9-volt) in a sealed, clear zipper-style plastic bag and put it on top of (not inside) the recyclable materials cart. Please tape terminals on batteries. (No car batteries allowed.) ### |
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| Albany |
Put batteries in a clear plastic bag, seal it shut and place on the top of the recyclables cart. ### |
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| Berkeley | |||
| Castro Valley Sanitary District |
Single-family and multi-family residents with blue recycling cart service may participate in CVSan’s curbside battery recycling program by placing used dry cell batteries (household batteries such as AAA, AA, B, C, D, 9V, and small “button” batteries) in a sealed clear plastic bag on top of your blue recycling cart on your service day. No automotive, lithium-ion or liquid batteries are accepted. Please tape terminals on 9-volt batteries. ### |
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| Dublin |
Single Family Residents. Place used batteries on top of your recycle cart in a clear plastic bag. ### |
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| Emeryville |
Emeryville accepts this item for curbside pickup, but don't put them in your carts or bins. Cart customers: place in sealed, zip bag taped to lid of recycling cart. Emeryville bin customers call to order mail-back collection container: 510-613-8710. ### |
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| Fremont | |||
| Hayward |
Single Family Service - Household batteries can be put into a sealed clear bag & placed next to the Recycling cart on collection day. Please tape over lithium battery contacts. ### |
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| Hayward (Oro Loma - L2) |
Single Family Service - Place in zip loc bag on top of recycling cart ### |
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| Livermore |
Single Family Service - Household batteries can be put into a sealed clear bag & placed on top of the Recycling cart on collection day. Please tape over lithium battery contacts. ### |
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| Newark |
Single Family Service - Place in zip loc bag on top of recycling cart ### |
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| Oakland |
Residents. Put household dry-cell batteries in a clear, sealed bag on top of recycling cart by 6am on your regular recycling pickup date. Always tape ends of batteries to avoid contact. Bag button-cell and NiCd batteries in a bag separate from alkaline batteries. Do not include rechargeable batteries. ### |
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| Piedmont |
Place in Ziploc bag on top of the recycling cart. Also accepted at the Piedmont Fire Station for recycling. ### |
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| Pleasanton |
Single Family Service - Place in zip loc bag on top of recycling cart. No rechargeable batteries allowed (ex. lithium ion). ### |
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| San Leandro |
Bag batteries in clear bag and put on top of Recycling cart. ### |
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| San Leandro (Oro Loma - L3) |
Single Family Service - Place in zip loc bag on top of recycling cart ### |
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| San Lorenzo (Oro Loma) |
Single Family Service - Place in zip loc bag on top of recycling cart ### |
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| Unincorporated Oro Loma (L1) |
Single Family Service - Place in zip loc bag on top of recycling cart ### |
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| Union City |
Single Family & Parcelized Multifamily Dwellings: Put in clear, sealed bag next to recycling cart. ### |
