Keep batteries out of your bins
Published on 25 October 2024
Murrindindi Shire Council is urging residents to keep household batteries out of their garbage and recycling bins and dispose of them safely at designated recycling drop-off points in Alexandra, Yea and Kinglake. Improper disposal of batteries can cause fires in bins, collections trucks and land fill sites, posing significant risks to public safety and the environment.
Household batteries are made up of toxic substances that can pose risks to you, your property and the people who empty your bins. This includes batteries in laptops, mobile phones, cameras, power tools and toys.
Recycling used batteries correctly means we can make the most of existing resources and rely less on mining new materials.
Simple ways to store your batteries safely at home before taking them to a drop-off location include:
- Cover the ends of used batteries with duct tape or clear sticky tape, to prevent sparking and reduce the risk of fire
- Store them in a glass container and make sure the container is not airtight
- Don’t keep them in metal containers or with other metal objects
- Store them in a cool, dry place away from heat sources
- Keep them away from children and pets
Residents can recycle AA, button and rechargeable batteries as well as batteries from cars, laptops, mobile phones, cameras, power tools and electronic toys by taking them to the following locations for safe disposal and recycling:
- Alexandra Resource Recovery Centre
- Yea Resource Recovery Centre
- Marysville Resource Recovery Centre
- Kinglake Resource Recovery Centre
- Alexandra FoodWorks
- Yea FoodWorks
- Eildon FoodWorks
- Marysville Grocer
Find more information on battery recycling here.
Murrindindi Shire Council’s CEO Livia Bonazzi said “Residents can make a significant difference to the safety of our community and environment by keeping batteries out of kerbside bins. When disposed of incorrectly, batteries can cause dangerous fires in bins, collection trucks, and at our Resource Recovery Centres, endangering our workers and residents alike. We've already seen this happen recently, and it's a risk we can all help prevent. Safely storing batteries at home and taking them to our recycling drop-off points is a simple yet powerful way to protect our team and contribute to a sustainable future for Murrindindi Shire.”