Searching for battery recycling near me usually starts when an old inverter bank, gate battery, UPS block or car battery has died and you need it gone. Batteries must never go in the household bin. Lead acid batteries are widely recycled, and scrap dealers pay for them by weight. Lithium batteries go to specialist e-waste or battery recyclers, and damaged ones need careful handling. This page covers where each type goes, what to expect, collection for businesses and take-back by sellers. Send one request and local recyclers and collectors will respond free, with no obligation.
Lead acid: scrap dealers pay for it
Car, deep cycle, gate, alarm and UPS batteries are mostly lead acid, and the lead, plastic and acid are recovered. Scrap metal dealers, battery shops and some auto parts stores buy or accept them. Prices are by weight and follow the metal market, so call ahead. Keep the batteries upright, do not drain or break them open, and carry them in a crate or on a tray in the bakkie. Many sellers give a small discount on a new battery when you hand in the old one.
Lithium: specialist recyclers
Lithium batteries from inverters, trolleys, power stations, laptops and tools go to e-waste or battery recyclers who can handle them. They are not usually bought for scrap, and collection or handling may be charged per job. Before handing them in:
- tape over the terminals so they cannot short
- keep them dry and out of the sun
- do not crush, puncture or try to open them
- ask the seller of your new battery about take-back
For buying a replacement, see lithium batteries.
Swollen or damaged batteries
A lithium battery that is swollen, hot, leaking, smoking or has been dropped or crushed is a fire risk. Do not charge it or use it. Move it, if it is safe to do so, to a non-flammable spot outdoors away from the house, such as a bare concrete or paved area, and call a specialist recycler for advice on transport. A cracked lead acid battery leaks acid, so wear gloves, keep it upright in a plastic tub and keep it away from children and pets.
Collection for businesses and installers
Installers, IT departments, security companies, estates and factories build up old batteries quickly. Many recyclers collect from a site once there is enough to fill a pallet or a crate, and some supply drums or cages. Ask for proof of responsible disposal in writing if your company keeps environmental records. Installers replacing banks should agree in the quote who removes the old batteries: see inverter batteries and UPS batteries.
What to include in your request
- Battery types: lead acid, lithium or both
- Rough number or total weight
- Any swollen, leaking or damaged batteries
- Drop-off or collection from your site
- Whether you need proof of disposal
Battery Recycling & Disposal for different clients
- Homeowners: dropping off an old inverter bank, gate battery or car battery for scrap
- Complexes, estates and body corporates: collecting old gate, boom and alarm batteries after an estate replacement
- Offices and home offices: removing worn UPS blocks from every desk and the server room
- Shops, restaurants and salons: taking away old till UPS batteries and a trolley battery from the shop
- Farms and smallholdings: selling old tractor, bakkie and fence batteries to a scrap dealer
- Clinics, surgeries and care homes: safe disposal of batteries from medical equipment and clinic UPS units
- Factories, warehouses, schools and churches: scheduled collection of forklift, UPS and plant batteries on pallets
- Electricians, installers and security companies: installers handing in old banks removed from clients' homes each month
Frequently asked questions
What do scrap dealers pay for old batteries?
Where can I recycle a lithium battery in South Africa?
Can I throw an old battery in the bin?
How do I find battery recycling near me?
Battery Recycling & Disposal by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg