Never bin batteries!

Did you know that batteries dropped into household bins can cause serious damage to our infrastructure, and put our frontline crews in harms way? Last year, 700 fires were caused in lorries and recycling centres across the country as a result of people throwing their old batteries into household rubbish bins. Not only is this a huge risk to frontline crews, but it costs us valuable time and money, and means that bin collections are affected if our vehicles are off the road.

So, we’re asking everyone in Southampton to stop binning their batteries!

If you have old batteries to dispose of, please take them to one of the hundreds of battery collection points across the city. Lots of retailers and supermarkets have battery collection bins dotted around the checkout areas – just look out for them next time you’re shopping or check online to find out where your nearest battery recycling point is.

What happens to dead batteries once I’ve disposed of them responsibly?

If you’ve ever wondered what happens to your dead batteries once you’ve dropped them in the battery bin, you will be glad to know they are recycled and reused.

First, they are taken to a specialist sorting facility where the batteries are broken down into their core components, such as lead, acid, nickel, and cadmium. These components are then melted down and used to make other products including plastics and ceramics. The cadmium recovered from nickel-cadmium batteries is used to make new batteries.

Remember, if we all make a concerted effort to dispose of our batteries correctly, not only do we avoid costly damage to facilities but we’re also doing our bit to create a cleaner, greener Southampton for ourselves and future generations to enjoy.