A further 13 community recycling centres have joined the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) battery recycling trial, which is being run in partnership with local councils, to accept products with embedded batteries.
Twenty-one councils across New South Wales initially took part in the embedded batteries trial, which was launched in September 2024 to safely collect and recycle items with built-in batteries at Community Recycling Centres.
The new centres to join the trial are in Kiama, Goulburn, Lithgow, Belmont North, Randwick, Katoomba, Kempsey, Armidale, Cowra, Ballina, Culcairn, and Kyogle.
Products with embedded lithium-ion batteries, such as vapes, headphones, speakers, electric toothbrushes, e-scooters and smart watches, are increasingly common in homes.
Battery-powered items contain valuable recoverable materials but are also highly combustible. Waste management staff are reporting these items are causing thousands of hard-to-extinguish fires in trucks and landfills each year.
Nearly 200 battery fires have been attended by Fire and Rescue NSW so far in 2025, reflecting a serious risk to the community, households and waste management staff.
Tony Chappel, Chief Executive Officer for NSW EPA, said battery fires are a serious issue that can have devastating consequences for communities and workers.
“We’re leading the way to combat these risks by introducing a product stewardship scheme, but we also need to make sure battery-powered items are being managed at the end of their usable life,” said Chappel.
“With more than 30 councils now pitching in to collect this problematic waste, we’re making it easier for people to keep batteries out of the bin, so we can protect our environment, increase our recycling rates and keep communities safe.”
To date, more than 9000 kilograms of this battery in device waste has been dropped off at centres and safely disposed of, reducing pressures on landfill and driving circular solutions.
The trial is expected to run until September 2026.
For more information, visit: www.epa.nsw.gov.au/
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