How to Dispose of a Dead Car Battery

Most car batteries are the flooded lead-acid type made with stacks of lead plates soaked in toxic sulfuric acid. So you can’t just throw a used battery into a dumpster. Fortunately, we can guide you through proper car battery disposal.

Waste Recovery

Batteries are big, heavy, and filled with toxic stuff. Handle their disposal responsibly.

Car batteries are full of seriously acidic and poisonous stuff that severely damages the environment and can injure wildlife. Plus, dumpster fires ain’t pretty. The acid is toxic, and just getting it on your clothes can ruins them. The acid can even burn your skin if you don’t wash it off quickly.

For good reason, car batteries can’t be sent to a landfill without being properly cleaned. Special equipment is required to dispose car batteries safely and according to government regulations.

This battery has been sitting in a field for decades. Over time the sun decomposed the plastic, allowing the exposed lead plates to leach into the ground.

Typically when buying a new battery, you must exchange the old one as a core. When you buy a new battery on eBay, there are no core charges, so the responsibility of proper car battery disposal falls on your shoulders.

The Silver Lining

You must dispose of your old car battery properly not only because it is the right thing to do but also because there are EPA regulations regarding proper disposal—not to mention the recycling value.

Metal battery trays look like this after years of holding a battery filled with sulfuric acid.

A typical car battery is worth about 25 cents per pound. Considering an average battery weighs around 35 pounds, that could fetch you enough to buy lunch. You can get $10 to $20 in some areas for a used battery.

If the case is in good condition, batteries are often recycled with cleaned plates and fresh acid, giving them new life that doesn’t require mining new lead. Recycling is good for all of us.

How to Dispose of an Old Car Battery

When you buy a new battery, the place of purchase will usually handle the old one for you. If you buy your battery on eBay, you must dispose of it yourself.

• Most cities have a recycling center open to residents. A quick web search will reveal a local option. Some facilities might charge a modest fee, but you will know it’s being handled responsibly.
• A local scrap metal recycler will take it if you want to recycle it for money. No special license is required. Simply take it in, and then they weigh it and pay you.
• The third option is a battery retailer. Many retailers readily accept used car batteries for free.

Car batteries are labeled to warn you about their toxicity. Heed those warnings.

Careful handling of your battery is important, as old batteries can leak or explode. If the battery is hot, swollen, or smoking, it is hazardous and needs to be handled very carefully. Hot or smoking batteries can be cooled off by hosing them down with water. Be careful where you do this, as the runoff can adversely affect vegetation and soil.

1. Remove the negative terminal (always remove the negative first to avoid arcing), then the positive terminal.
2. Unbolt the battery from the mount and remove it.
3. Place the battery in two heavy-duty trash bags and tie each off separately.
4. Place the bagged battery in a cardboard box. This will protect you from off-gassing and acid leaks. Never lay a battery over on its side—it must always remain upright to prevent leaking.
5. Put the battery in your trunk and take it to your selected location. You want this to be the closest possible location, as old batteries can give off a lot of fumes. If you can access a truck, putting the battery in the bed is the best transport method.

What About EV Batteries?

EV batteries, like this Tesla pack, can be refurbished for re-use or recycled.

The rise of EV-powered vehicles raises the question of how to handle a worn-out EV battery. EV batteries are full of nickel, cobalt, lithium, and other metals that can be harvested, cleaned, and recycled. While they are much larger than the standard 12-volt car battery, EV batteries can be recycled.

However, EV batteries are designed to last the vehicle’s lifetime, and most electric vehicles have only been on the road for a few years. In other words, EV battery recycling will become a significant industry, but we’re not there yet.

Nonetheless, if you are replacing an EV battery, chances are good that the work is being done at a dealership. The federal government mandates eight years or 100,000 miles of coverage (whichever comes first) for EV batteries. California ups the warranty to 10 years or 150,000 miles. EV battery voltages are deadly and require specialized training to handle them safely.