Household batteries may contain toxic metals and should never be put in your trash or blue bin. Batteries come in all shapes, sizes and types; each with different disposal requirements. Learn how to tell battery types apart.

How to Properly Manage Batteries

The July curbside battery recycling program where residents leave alkaline batteries in yellow bags on top of their trash has ceased as of 2020. However, there are many year-round options to properly manage alkaline, rechargeables and button/coin batteries (including hearing aid and watch batteries). Batteries must be SORTED into these three categories before drop-off.

1. Sort and Drop Off at:
  • Wegmans (all Onondaga County stores; foyer area)
  • Green Hills Market (5933 S. Salina St, Syracuse)
  • Civic Center (421 Montgomery St, Syracuse; basement by escalator)
  • Wrightway Hardware (9236 Oswego Rd., Baldwinsville)
  • Nightingale’s Tully Lakes Hardware (6 Elm St., Tully)
  • Nightingale Mills Ace Hardware (4086 South Street Road, Marcellus)

Please separate rechargeable batteries from alkalines and button batteries. Put each rechargeable in a separate plastic bag. Lithium-ion batteries may be alkaline OR rechargeable. Check label to determine correct drop point. Any plastic bag will do, you do not need to use a yellow battery bag. With the July program ceasing, no yellow bags will be mailed to residents. If you have a LEAKING battery, contact Battery World at (315) 437-1404 for best management practices.

This drop-off is for households only, batteries from businesses are not accepted. Click here for business options.

2. RECHARGEABLE Batteries Have Additional Drop Points

Over 50 local places accept rechargeable batteries (including lithium-ions that are labeled “rechargeable”) for recycling at no charge, both from residents and businesses. Check out this drop-off locator to find a spot near you!

NYS Law mandates that rechargeable batteries be recycled. Trashing rechargeable batteries is an offense that can lead to a fine.

OCRRA and Call2Recycle teamed-up to provide additional rechargeable battery recycling options to the community, while reducing operating costs. Learn more about this mutually beneficial partnership.

3. RECHARGEABLE Batteries Have Additional Drop Points

At this time, batteries found in e-bikes and e-scooters are not covered under the NYS law governing management of rechargeable batteries, though they are also rechargeable. These e-mobility batteries can be managed in various ways. Visit our searchable database for more information.

How To Tell Battery Types Apart

Alkalines come in many different shapes and sizes. Many typical household batteries you would use in a remote control, radio, toy, smoke detector, etc. are alkalines. (AA, AAA, C, D, 6V, 9V, etc.) Some alkaline batteries look a lot like rechargeables (including lithium-ions) and the only way to tell the difference is to read the label.

Button and coin batteries are small, flat, circular batteries often found in hearing aids, watches, calculators, etc.

Rechargeables are found in power tools, laptops, phones and other electronic equipment. Also, some look like alkalines, but are rechargeable. Check labels to determine if they are rechargeable. Rechargeable batteries can also be found in e-mobility devices such as e-bikes or e-scooters. These batteries cannot go in OCRRA collection bins. Visit this link to learn how to properly manage them.

Annually, OCRRA’s battery collection programs collect 80,000 lbs. or 40 tons of material!

If you are a business looking to recycle your batteries, click here.

Car Batteries (Sealed Lead Acid Batteries)

Sealed lead acid batteries are heavy and brick-like, usually with two metal contacts. They are commonly used in large toys such as Power Wheels or car vehicles. They CANNOT be taken to OCRRA battery drop-off locations. They may be returned to any dealer who sells them, regardless of whether you bought it there or not. The following locations may even pay you a few cents per pound for old car batteries:

  • Battery World, 5820 E Molloy Rd, Syracuse, 315 437-1404
  • Bodow Recycling, 1925 Park Street, 315 422-2552
  • CNY Resource Recovery, 5879 Firestone Drive, 315 471-0254
  • East Penn, 6581 Townline Road, Syracuse, 315 432-1760
  • Metalico Aluminum Recovery Inc, 6225 Thompson Road, 315-575-7428
  • Syracuse Material Recovery, 301 Peat Street, 315 476-0800

Damaged, Defective or Recalled (DDR) Batteries

These batteries should NOT be placed in OCRRA battery collection bins. They can cause fires and injuries. Contact Battery World at (315) 437-1404 to find out the safest way to manage these batteries.

Business Battery Recycling

If you are a business interested in properly disposing of your batteries, you have several options.

1) There are many vendors that offer mail-back programs, including Call2Recycle. Search the internet for companies that do “business battery recycling” for other options.

2) Miller Environmental Group is a local company that can give you more information on business battery disposal.