Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-Ion Awareness and Disposal

Lithium-Ion batteries are becoming more common in everyday life, whether they be from cell phones, appliances, power tools, energy storage systems, and even toys.  These batteries can pose a hazard to the household if proper care and storage is not taken.  If proper care and storage is not taken it can lead to the batteries releasing toxic gas, catching fire, or even an explosion can occur.  This process is known as thermal runaway, and once this process occurs, it can be very difficult to put out the fire.

Thermal Runaway

Thermal runaway occurs when a battery cannot disperse the excess heat and begins to catch fire. These fires are burning a chemical fuel, so they cannot be put out with water, and they will continue to burn until the fuel is used up.  

Avoiding Thermal Runaway:

Proper maintenance of a battery is important to keeping the devices functional and safe to use.  This proper maintenance includes:

  • Proper Storage: Keeping unused batteries in a cool, dry, and preferably a dark area. This could be a drawer, closet, or a dry basement. Never store these batteries near food products.
  • Good Charging Practices: Although some devices like modern cell phones have safeguards against overcharging, it is important not to leave a device plugged into a charger for long periods of time or overnight. Overcharging can degrade the battery fast and the lifespan will decrease, and this can lead to thermal runaway.  Always stop charging when it has reached 100% of the batteries load.   Some even say to only charge it to around 80% to keep the battery healthy for much longer. 
  • Knowing the Warning Signs: Batteries will often show clear signs of degradKeep rechargeable batteries out of the trash and recycling bins to prevent fires. ing, this could be poor battery life, longer charging times, or poorer performance of the device (such as a power tool not having the same strength or speed it did when it was new).

What are Damaged Batteries?

Damaged or defective batteries (DD) include any battery that’s swollen, leaking, punctured, or overheating. In some cases, these batteries may also be part of a manufacturer’s recall. Because they carry a higher safety risk, DD batteries need to be handled and recycled separately from everyday household batteries.

Common Signs of Damage:

  • Bulging or swelling
  • Leakage or strong odor
  • Cracked or warped casing
  • Burn marks
  • Water damage
  • Overheating
  • Device behaving abnormally while charging

Disposal of Lithium-Ion Batteries:

Proper disposal is very important to the lifecycle of a battery.  Batteries cannot just be thrown away in the trash can or a recycling bin. They must be broken down at special facilities to ensure safe disposal. Otherwise, this can cause harm to anyone handling these batteries and destroy ecosystems and their surrounding environment.

Although lithium-ion batteries have made our lives easier and more efficient, they can pose a hazard to the household and the community.  It is important not to throw away these batteries as landfills are not equipped to store these batteries.  If you have batteries that need to be recycled, go to Call2Recycle.org or call 1-877-2-RECYCLE to find locations and procedures for your battery recycling needs.

Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority will properly dispose of alkaline batteries for Lancaster County residents.

Specialty Lithium-Ion Batteries

Not all Lithium-Ion batteries are the same.  Lithium-ion batteries, such as those in a cell phone or those in an electric scooter, are different from one another, and must be handled differently.  Call2Recycle.org can help you search for the correct location to drop off your specialty battery.

Damaged Lithium-Ion Batteries

These Batteries can be puffy, bloated, or swollen and require special handling.  Contact Call2Recycle to purchase a DDR container to ship damaged batteries.  You can also contact them at 1-877-723-1297 for questions or concerns about your recycling needs.