City’s Battery Recycling Program Vital to Protecting Environment

Australians purchase more than 300 million handheld batteries every year, with less than 6% estimated to be recycled properly. 

The chemicals released from hazardous battery waste at landfill sites are known to have a huge negative impact on the environment, which is why residents are encouraged to recycle wherever they can.

The City has run a battery recycling program of its own for many years and in 2017-2018 more than 1,500kg of batteries were recycled through the Hazardous Household Waste Facility at Millar Road Landfill.

Mayor Barry Sammels encouraged residents to join in the environmental effort by disposing their used batteries at a number of drop off locations around the City.

“Dry cell batteries, which are found in children’s toys, small appliances and torches, are able to be recycled in bins at all four of the City’s libraries, the City’s administration building on Civic Boulevard and at the Millar Road Landfill Facility,” Mayor Sammels said. 

“Mobile phone batteries are recycled through a program called Mobile Muster and these recycling bins are found next to the dry-cell battery recycling bins at the libraries, landfill and City administration building.

“Car batteries should be taken to the Millar Road Landfill Facility.”   City officers collect batteries from the designated disposal bins around the City and take them to the Hazardous Household Waste Facility. 

From there the batteries are taken to a facility where they are sorted into chemistry types, before being transported to Victoria where 95% of the battery materials are recovered.

For more information check out the City's rubbish and recycling page.