Household battery recycling

On Monday 14 February 2022 Wellington City Council is launching a recycling programme to divert used household batteries from the landfill.

How it works

You can drop off your used batteries for free at:

  • Island Bay Community Centre
  • Karori Library
  • Kilbirnie Library
  • Newlands Community Centre
  • Tawa Community Centre
  • Te Awe Library (CBD)
  • Tip Shop at the Southern Landfill

What you need to do

1. Check your batteries are accepted.

Accepted batteries:

  • Lithium ion (eg. rechargeable batteries)
  • Nickel cadmium and alkaline batteries: AA, AAA, 9V, C, D, N
  • Zinc air (eg. camera batteries)
  • Silver zinc (eg. laptop and hearing aid batteries)
  • Other household batteries
  • Mobile phone batteries

Not accepted*

  • Leaking or damaged batteries
  • Car or truck batteries
  • Electrical appliances and mobile phones

*Items in the Not accepted category can be disposed of at the Southern Landfill.

2. Tape lithium battery terminals with the tape provided.

3. Drop your batteries – you’re good to go!

After your batteries are picked up, the components will be separated and sent for re-use, recovery and re-processing.

Why recycle?

Batteries contain harmful chemicals, which can leach into soil and waterways if they go in the landfill. Fires can also occur when they are disposed of directly to landfill.

Recycling batteries saves valuable resources. They contain lots of useful elements, such as metals, plastic and some of the chemicals, which can be re-used.

Under our Solid Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw (2020), disposing of batteries (including household batteries) in kerbside waste is no longer permitted.