Battery recycling

Find out about recycling batteries through your kerbside collections or at collection points around Cambridge.
 

Battery recycling

Kerbside collection scheme

Most householders in Cambridge can now recycle batteries from home.

Simply place your portable household batteries in a battery bag which you can collect from any council reception. Use the adhesive strip to stick the bag to the back (the side with wheels) of your green bin on its next collection day. Please do not put the bag inside the bin.

What kind of batteries are accepted?

All portable household batteries can be accepted, including rechargeable or non-rechargeable, AA, AAA, button batteries, size C or D, 9 volt and any laptop or mobile phone batteries. Power tool batteries can be accepted as long as they are small enough to fit inside the battery bag. Car batteries and lead-acid batteries can not be accepted - please take these to a large recycling centre.

Why is the green bin being used?

The green bin vehicles have space to store the batteries that are collected. The blue bin vehicles do not have this space. Please do not stick the bag on your blue bin.

What if I don't have a green bin?

If you use brown sacks instead of a green bin you can leave the battery bag on top of these for collection. Please do not leave battery bags on the pavement as this could be dangerous. If you don't have a green bin or sacks, or you can take batteries to one of the collection points listed further down this page.

I live in a flat - can I use the new scheme?

If you have your own green bin, you can use the scheme. Larger blocks of flats with shared bins will not be able to use the scheme at present. However there are lots of places that you can recycle your batteries listed further down this page

What if I don't receive a replacement battery bag?

When you put out a bag of batteries for collection you should receive a replacement bag left on your bin. If you do not receive a battery bag you may use a small plastic bag with handles and tie this on to the handle of your green bin. Alternatively you can collect a battery bag from council receptions at:

  • The Customer Service Centre, 4 Regent Street
  • The Guildhall, Market Square
  • Mill Road Depot, by the bridge on Mill Road
  • City Homes North, 171 Arbury Road
  • City Homes South, 89 Cherry Hinton Road

Can I use the scheme to recycle small electrical appliances that contain batteries that I cannot remove? (e.g. toothbrushes)

No these can not be accepted in this scheme. There are banks for small electrical items at some Recycling Points around the city that you can take these to. Alternatively the items can be saved and taken, with other items, to the large Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow when the next journey is being made.

What happens to the batteries?

The batteries are sorted in the UK and depending on their chemical content they are sent to recycling companies either in the UK or Europe. Chemicals from the batteries are extracted and re-used, and the metal casings are melted down and recycled.

Where else can I recycle batteries?

You can recycle your household batteries and energy-saving light bulbs (compact fluorescent lamps) at the outdoor recycling points at:

  • Sainsbury's on Coldham's Lane
  • Lammas Land car park
  • Cherry Hinton Hall car park
  • Arbury Court car park
  • Tesco on Newmarket Road
  • the Recycling Centre at Butt Lane, off the A10 near Milton (this site also accepts fluorescent tubes, ordinary light bulbs and car batteries)
  • the Recycling Centre at Gravel Pit Hill, off the A505 near Thriplow (this site also accepts fluorescent tubes, ordinary light bulbs and car batteries)

You can also recycle household batteries only (not light bulbs) at:

Many retailers that sell batteries. You can find your closest shop collection point here

Why recycle household batteries?

In the UK we throw away over 600 million batteries every year. While we recycle over 90 per cent of our lead-acid batteries - those used in vehicles - we only recycle 4 per cent of the non-lead-acid batteries that we waste in the UK.

This means that of about 25,000 tonnes of waste household and industrial batteries generated in the UK each year, just 1,000 tonnes is recycled.

Most batteries contain heavy metals, which are the main cause for environmental concern.

When disposed of incorrectly, these heavy metals can leak into the ground when the battery casing corrodes. This can contribute to soil and water pollution and endanger wildlife.

Reduce battery waste

  • use mains-powered appliances or a mains adaptor wherever possible
  • use rechargeable batteries, and ideally a solar-powered charger - these are now available from as little as £25