Battery Recycling

Batteries do not belong in curbside garbage or recycling carts or bins, as they can pose a serious risk to workers, machinery, and our community. Batteries that are discarded in curbside carts or multi-family bins could catch fire in the cart, in the collection truck, or at the recycling facility.
Lithium-ion batteries—commonly found in everyday items like cell phones, laptops, power tools, gaming consoles, baby monitors, vaping pens, and hearing aids—can pose serious hazards when tossed into regular recycling or garbage bins. 

These batteries are highly reactive and can spontaneously ignite, creating dangerous situations for recycling and waste management personnel and infrastructure. To prevent these serious safety risks, batteries of any kind must be taken to a designated collection site.

How to Properly Recycle Batteries:

When a rechargeable battery/electronic item containing a rechargeable battery reaches the end of its life, you can recycle the battery and/or the entire item at the following locations in Kamloops:

Household batteries are also accepted free of charge at 27 Thompson-Nicola Regional District solid waste facilities around the region. Electronics and small appliances are accepted at 11 Thompson-Nicola Regional District Eco-Depots. View the Thompson-Nicola Regional District online search tool.

What Happens to Recycled Batteries? 

Call2Recycle is the official battery stewardship program in British Columbia, accepting used household batteries from over 1,700 locations in the province. Call2Recycle is a non-profit organization committed to the safe and responsible collection and recycling of batteries across Canada while protecting communities from battery-related hazards. Call2Recycle’s mission is to reduce the environmental impact of used batteries by providing accessible, convenient drop-off locations and managing an efficient recycling program.

Other resources