Battery Recycling

Batteries contain valuable metals such as zinc, manganese and steel which are found in limited supply. Separating and recycling batteries reduces the incidence of these metals becoming designated to landfill and prevents the contamination of compost at alternative waste treatment plants.

Battery recycling at the Recycling Centre and libraries

To assist in reducing waste to landfill and increasing recycling, City of South Perth residents' household dry cell and lithium batteries are accepted at no additional charge at the Recycling Centre in Como and at our libraries in South Perth and Manning.

The City's purpose-built battery disposal units (located at the Recycling Centre in Como and at our libraries in South Perth and Manning) make it simple and safe for the community to recycle used batteries.

Each collection point has two bins, one for lithium-ion batteries and one for household dry cell batteries. 

Each bin is fitted with a fire-resistant bag which is capable of containing fire, if a battery was to self-ignite.

The batteries are collected weekly by the City’s Waste & Recycling team and are relocated for safe storage before being delivered for recycling.

Eighty per cent of the batteries used by Australians are single use batteries. Although recyclable, 97 per cent of them or 8,000 tonnes end up in landfill each year, where they leach toxic materials into waterways and ecosystems.

Due to their flammable, corrosive and toxic nature, batteries should not be disposed of in your kerbside or recycling bins. Instead, used batteries should be dropped off at the City’s authorised battery recycling collection points.

Top tip – Use sticky tape

If battery terminals touch, they can spark and create a fire hazard. To prevent this, tape the terminals of used batteries for storage and drop off. Always use clear sticky tape.

Top tip – Separate lithium-ion from household batteries

It doesn’t take much for lithium to combust. There have been reports of lithium-ion batteries catching fire by simply coming into contact with moisture which makes them especially dangerous when placed in kerbside recycling bins. Please make sure you dispose of them safely in our collection bins at the Recycling Centres and libraries.

Batteries accepted include:

• Lithium-ion
• Household dry-cell batteries such as:
  • AA and AAA cells (single use and rechargeable)
  • C and D size batteries
  • Button batteries (used in watches and toys)
  • 9V batteries
  • 6V batteries (used in torches and lanterns).

Battery collection points are located at:

• City of South Perth Recycling Centre - 199 Thelma St, Como
• Manning Library - 2 Conochie Ave, Manning 
• South Perth Library - Cnr Sandgate St & South Tce, South Perth