If you spent the holidays upgrading your tech—new phone, laptop, e-reader, wireless headphones, maybe even an electric toothbrush—you’re probably staring at a drawer full of old devices and their lithium-ion batteries. Don’t toss them in the trash. Seriously, don’t.
New York City is dealing with a genuine lithium battery fire crisis, and improper disposal is part of the problem. Through the first three months of 2025, the FDNY reported a 53% increase in structural fires caused by lithium-ion batteries compared to the same period in 2024. These aren’t small fires—they’re intense, fast-moving, and can be fatal.
Here’s everything you need to know about safely disposing of lithium batteries in NYC, from where to take them to why it matters for both safety and the environment.
First: Why Lithium Battery Disposal Is Legally Required (and Dangerous If You Don’t)
New York State law makes it illegal to throw rechargeable or lithium-ion batteries in the trash or recycling. This isn’t bureaucratic overreach—it’s a fire safety mandate.
The Fire Risk Is Real and Growing
Lithium-ion batteries contain highly flammable electrolytes and store enormous amounts of energy in small spaces. When damaged, punctured, or exposed to heat, they can enter “thermal runaway”—a chain reaction that causes them to catch fire or explode. In July 2025, a 76-year-old woman died in Queens when an e-bike battery exploded in a pizzeria.
But it’s not just e-bikes. Lithium-ion batteries are in laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, power tools, electric toothbrushes, rechargeable household appliances, and more. When these batteries end up in garbage trucks or landfills, they get crushed and punctured—creating fire hazards for sanitation workers and waste facilities.
“When batteries are tampered with, improperly stored, or uncertified, they become ticking time bombs that endanger not only families and neighbors but also the first responders who rush to save them.”
— FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker
The good news? Proper disposal eliminates this risk entirely.
Where to Dispose of Lithium Batteries in NYC
You have three main options for safe lithium battery disposal in New York City. Here’s how each one works:
Option 1: Take Them to Any Retailer That Sells Them (Easiest)
This is your most convenient option. New York State law requires any retailer that sells rechargeable batteries OR products containing rechargeable batteries to accept used batteries for recycling. This includes:
- Electronics stores: Best Buy, B&H Photo, Micro Center
- Hardware stores: Home Depot, Lowe’s, Harbor Freight
- Office supply stores: Staples, Office Depot
- Pharmacies: CVS, Walgreens, Duane Reade
- Big box retailers: Target, Walmart
Important limitation: Retailers don’t have to accept batteries weighing more than 25 pounds. For large e-bike or e-scooter batteries, you’ll need to use Option 2 or 3.
You can find specific drop-off locations near you using the Call2Recycle locator. Just enter your ZIP code to see participating stores.
Pro tip: Call ahead to confirm the store accepts your specific battery type, especially for larger items or unusual batteries.
Option 2: DSNY Special Waste Drop-Off Sites (Year-Round)
NYC has five Special Waste Drop-Off sites open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (closed legal holidays and during severe weather). These sites accept all household batteries, including large e-bike batteries.
Bronx
Hunts Point
Farragut Street and the East River, next to the Fulton Fish Market
Enter on Farragut Street, off Food Center Drive
Brooklyn
Greenpoint
459 North Henry Street (drop-off site near 530 Kingsland Avenue)
Facility entrance off Kingsland Avenue, north of Greenpoint Avenue
Manhattan
Lower East Side/Two Bridges
74 Pike Slip between Cherry Street and South Street
Under the Manhattan Bridge
Queens
College Point
30th Avenue, between 120th and 122nd Streets
Northwest corner of DSNY’s Queens District 7 garage
Staten Island
Staten Island location
Visit nyc.gov/SpecialWasteDropOff for current address
What to bring: Batteries of all types (rechargeable, lithium-ion, alkaline), e-waste, paint, motor oil, fluorescent bulbs, and other household hazardous waste. There’s no appointment necessary—just show up during operating hours.
Option 3: SAFE Disposal Events (Twice Yearly)
The Department of Sanitation holds SAFE (Solvents, Automotive, Flammables, and Electronics) Disposal Events twice a year—typically in spring (April-May) and fall (September-October)—in all five boroughs. These free events accept:
- Lithium-ion batteries of all sizes (including e-bike and e-scooter batteries)
- Electronics and e-waste
- Hazardous household chemicals
- Paint and automotive fluids
Check nyc.gov/safedisposal for upcoming event dates and locations.
How to Prepare Batteries for Disposal
Before you drop off or recycle your batteries, follow these safety steps:
- Tape the terminals: Use clear tape to cover battery terminals. This prevents short circuits that could cause fires during transport or storage. (Don’t use opaque tape—clear tape allows recyclers to see the terminals.)
- Or bag them individually: Place each battery in a separate plastic bag as an alternative to taping.
- Keep them separate: Don’t mix lithium-ion/rechargeable batteries with regular alkaline batteries. Keep them in separate containers.
- Never dispose of damaged batteries at retail stores: If a battery is swollen, leaking, damaged, or has been recalled, use a DSNY Special Waste Drop-Off Site or SAFE event instead. Call2Recycle sells specialty safety kits for managing damaged batteries if needed.
- Remove batteries from devices when possible: If you can safely remove the battery from a device (like a TV remote or electric toothbrush), do so. Recycle the battery separately from the device.
Warning: Never attempt to disassemble, repair, or tamper with lithium-ion batteries. The FDNY has issued warnings about home-based battery repair workshops, which have caused multiple fires. If you see battery tampering activity, report it by calling 311.
What Happens When You Recycle Lithium Batteries
Once you drop off your batteries, they enter a sophisticated recycling process that recovers valuable materials:
The Recycling Process
Lithium-ion batteries contain critical metals including lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, manganese, and aluminum. Through programs like Call2Recycle, batteries are:
- Collected and sorted by chemistry type
- Safely discharged to eliminate fire risk
- Dismantled to separate components
- Processed using either hydrometallurgy (chemical extraction) or pyrometallurgy (heat-based recovery)
- Refined into battery-grade materials that can be used to manufacture new batteries
Recovery rates are impressive: Modern recycling facilities can recover 95%+ of the materials in lithium-ion batteries, with lithium recovered at near 99% purity.
The Environmental Math Is Compelling
Recycling lithium batteries isn’t just about safety—it’s about sustainability. A January 2025 Stanford University study published in Nature Communications found that battery recycling significantly outperforms mining virgin materials:
- 58-81% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to mining new metals
- 72-88% less water consumption
- 77-89% less energy use
To put that in perspective: mining lithium emits up to 37 tons of CO₂ per ton of lithium, while recycling cuts carbon emissions by up to 61%.
The metals recovered from battery recycling—particularly cobalt, which is 80% mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo—also reduce geopolitical supply chain vulnerabilities and the human rights concerns associated with mining in certain regions.
“For a future with a greatly increased supply of used batteries, we need to design and prepare a recycling system today from collection to processing back into new batteries with minimal environmental impact.”
— William Tarpeh, Stanford Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering
What About Regular Alkaline Batteries?
Good news: Non-rechargeable alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V) can go in regular trash. They no longer contain mercury or harmful heavy metals, so they’re not considered hazardous waste.
However: If you want to recycle them anyway, DSNY Special Waste Drop-Off Sites accept alkaline batteries too. And you should still tape the terminals of D and 9V alkaline batteries before disposal to prevent sparks.
If a Store Refuses Your Batteries
If you try to return batteries to a retailer that sells them and they refuse to accept them, contact the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation:
- Online: dec.ny.gov/regulations/393.html
- Phone: 1-844-DEC-ECOS (332-3267)
The retailer is legally required to accept them (with the 25-pound weight limit exception), and you can report non-compliance.
Disposing of lithium-ion batteries properly isn’t complicated, but it does require intentionality. You can’t just toss them in the trash and forget about them—doing so creates real fire risks for sanitation workers, waste facility employees, and even your own building if batteries are sitting in trash chutes or compactor rooms.
In 2025, DSNY collected 5,207 more batteries than in 2024—a sign that New Yorkers are increasingly getting the message. But with lithium battery fires up 53% in early 2025, there’s clearly more work to do.
So next time you upgrade your phone, replace your laptop, or finally retire that old electric toothbrush, make a plan for the battery. Drop it at your nearest retailer, swing by a DSNY site on a Saturday morning, or save it for the next SAFE event. It takes five minutes and could prevent a fire.
Your sanitation workers—and your neighbors—will thank you.
Quick Reference: Key Resources
- Find retail drop-off locations: call2recycle.org/locator
- DSNY Special Waste Drop-Off Sites: nyc.gov/SpecialWasteDropOff
- SAFE Disposal Events: nyc.gov/safedisposal
- NYC Battery Disposal Info: nyc.gov/batteries
- Lithium-Ion Battery Safety: nyc.gov/fdny – Battery Safety
- Report battery issues: Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675)
Related: Your Guide to Sustainable Living in NYC | The Minimalist’s Guide to Digital Decluttering | NYC Recycling Rules: What Actually Goes Where
