For Safety, Hillsborough County Solid Waste Wants Residents to Know How to Properly Dispose of Batteries
Hillsborough County, Fla. (Dec. 9, 2025) - The number of batteries in the County's waste stream is increasing and so is the number of battery-related fires. Batteries come in various types and sizes to fit numerous products including toys, laptops, smartphones and watches, greeting cards, electronic smoking devices, and e-bikes and scooters.
If not handled correctly, household batteries can harm you and others, damage equipment, and threaten public safety. Hillsborough County Solid Waste experienced over 30 garbage and recycling truck fires over the past three years alone. Proper disposal of batteries helps keep you and waste and recycling workers safe while benefitting the environment.
Regional Fire Prevention & Battery Recovery Campaign
Launched in October 2025, Hillsborough County Solid Waste created a new, first-of-its-kind outreach campaign - the Fire Prevention & Battery Recovery Campaign - to teach residents about proper battery disposal, increase the amount of batteries recovered at drop-off locations, and reduce the number of battery-related fires. The battery education and fire prevention efforts are in partnership with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, regional local governments, and garbage and recycling franchise collectors.
Over six months, local ads across television, billboards, radio, podcast, and social media platforms will tell residents where to drop off lithium-ion batteries.
Proper Battery Disposal Guidelines
To protect yourself and your community, always dispose of lithium-ion batteries or devices with rechargeable batteries that cannot be removed at designated drop-off locations. Do not attempt to dismantle batteries or remove batteries from devices that are not designed to be removed. Regular alkaline batteries, such as AA or AAA, can safely go in the trash.
Many businesses offer free battery drop-off collection. Find the nearest location using Call2Recycle's locator map. Hillsborough County residents can also drop off household batteries for free at any of the five Hillsborough County Solid Waste Community Collection Centers or at the monthly Household Hazardous Waste collection events operated by Hillsborough County Solid Waste. A photo ID with a Hillsborough County residential address is required.
Residents who live outside of Hillsborough County can use their county's Household Hazardous Waste program.
To ensure safe transport and handling of lithium-ion batteries, follow these two simple steps:
- Step 1: Tape the terminals of each battery with clear packing tape
- Step 2: Place each battery in a separate plastic zip-close bag
This prevents batteries from reacting with each other and helps employees sort them safely and efficiently.
Visit HCFL.gov/Batteries to find the nearest collection center and learn more about battery safety.