Can you recycle household batteries (aa, aaa, c, d, 9v)?

Batteries must never go in general waste or kerbside recycling: crushed lithium and damaged cells cause hundreds of bin-lorry and recycling-plant fires every year. Any shop selling more than a pack a day must by law provide a take-back bin — every supermarket has one. Some councils collect batteries kerbside in a small bag placed on top of your bin; check locally.

Tips

• Keep a battery pot by the door and empty it at the supermarket
• Tape the terminals of 9V and lithium batteries
• Check if your council does bag-on-bin battery collection

Which bin does it go in?

Battery collection points — supermarkets, shops, recycling centres. NEVER any bin

Background: Batteries, vapes & electricals: the fire-risk items.

Also searched as: AA batteries, alkaline batteries, dead batteries.