Battery Recycling · Austin, TX
Car Battery Recycling in Austin
Before you go
This is the one item on the site that usually pays you rather than costing you.
Know which of the two payments you're owed
A core charge is a deposit added when you buy a battery, commonly fifteen to twenty-five dollars, refunded when you hand the old one back. If you're not buying anything, that isn't what you get. Walking in with a battery alone earns store credit instead: AutoZone and O'Reilly both run about ten dollars per battery, with daily limits and exclusions. A scrap yard pays cash by weight. One phone call tells you which is worth more today.
Carry it upright
Even a sealed battery will weep sulfuric acid from the vents if it's tipped. Upright, in a plastic tub, in the footwell, not loose in the trunk on carpet.
Lift from underneath with both hands
A car battery is thirty to fifty pounds of dense mass in a slick plastic case with no real handhold. Most of the injuries here are dropped-on-foot, not chemical.
Call first if the case is cracked or bulging
That's a spill in progress, not a drop-off. The site will want to handle it differently, and you don't want it leaking in your car on the way over.
Don't leave it on a concrete floor for weeks first
It won't hurt the concrete, but a battery sitting forgotten in a garage is one that eventually leaks. Take it in the same week you pull it.
Compare options
Car Battery Recycling in Austin
1 free · 2 fee-based
| Facility | Cost | Open now | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AutoZone (Austin) - Car Battery & Oil Recycling | Free |
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| Paid or fee-based options | |||
| Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center(512) 974-4343 | Depends on the item |
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| Batteries Plus (Burnet Rd)(512) 419-7587 | Free for most |
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How it works in Austin
Local rules
- Austin City Code Ch. 15-6 (Solid Waste Services Administrative Rules) governs HHW handling and prohibits placing batteries and HHW in curbside recycling/trash carts.
Worth knowing
- Austin Resource Recovery warns that batteries in curbside recycling carts have started truck/MRF fires in summer heat — the city actively campaigns to keep lithium-ion out of carts.
- Large batteries (car, solar panel, EV) are explicitly excluded from APL library drop-off boxes — they require Recycle & Reuse Center appointment or manufacturer programs.
Travis County household hazardous waste
Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop-Off Center
Central HHW hub for Austin & Travis County. Appointment required, released weekly. Free for residents.
12 more Austin rules, not specific to this item
- Texas Recycles Computers Program (30 TAC Ch. 328, Subch. I): TCEQ requires computer manufacturers selling in Texas to offer free recycling of their own brand-labeled computer equipment to households.
- Texas Recycles TVs Program (30 TAC Ch. 328, Subch. J): TV manufacturers must register with TCEQ, file a recovery plan, and recycle a market-share allocation of CTE (covered television equipment) in Texas.
- Texas does NOT have a paint stewardship law — PaintCare does not operate in Texas (as of 2026).
- Austin Universal Recycling Ordinance (URO): commercial properties, multifamily, and food-permitted businesses must provide recycling/organics access; annual diversion plans due Oct 1-Feb 1; violations are Class C misdemeanors up to $2,000/day.
- Austin Construction & Demolition Recycling Ordinance (2015): projects over 5,000 sq ft must reuse/recycle 50% of debris or dispose <2.5 lbs/sq ft.
- Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center is appointment-only — slots can be hard to get and are scheduled via the Austin Recycles mobile app or by calling 3-1-1.
- Austin's on-demand HHW curbside service is brand-new (January 2025), replacing the prior bulk/brush twice-a-year schedule with up to 3 service appointments per year per address.
- HHW curbside set-out rule: items must be staged OUT of direct sunlight (garage or porch) — the city explicitly warns about Austin heat causing reactions; NOT placed at the curb until collection morning.
- City of Austin's Recycle & Reuse Center accepts HHW from Travis County residents free (Austin & county only); fees apply to non-residents and businesses cannot use the residential HHW service.
- Zero Waste by 2040: Austin City Council adopted 90% landfill diversion goal in 2011; 2023 Comprehensive Plan added 'aggressive milestones.'
- PaintCare absence: unlike Colorado, California, or Oregon, Texas residents cannot drop paint at hardware stores under PaintCare — all paint must go through municipal HHW.
- Solar panel disposal fee schedule: first 2 panels under 100 lbs are free at the Recycle & Reuse Center, then $0.30/lb.
Other Austin programs
- Austin Resource Recovery On-Demand HHW Curbside CollectionCurbside pickup of paint, batteries, automotive fluids, aerosols, pool chemicals, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs, propane cylinders. Launched January 2025 as on-demand service. Up to 3 collections per address per year. 30-gallon total limit, no individual containers >5 gallons.3-1-1 (512-974-2000)
- Austin ReBlendFree 100% post-consumer recycled latex paint (low-VOC) made from HHW drop-offs. Available in three shades (Texas Limestone, Balcones Canyonland, Barton Creek Greenbelt) for residents, nonprofits, and businesses by appointment at the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center.512-974-4343
- Austin Public Library Battery Drop-Off NetworkHousehold battery collection at 20+ APL branches (look for 5-gallon black/gray buckets); does NOT accept large car or solar panel batteries.3-1-1
- Dell Reconnect via Goodwill Central TexasFree recycling of any-brand computer equipment (laptops, desktops, monitors, peripherals) at participating Goodwill Central Texas donation centers.
- Travis County 1431 Citizens Collection Center (Cedar Park)General household trash only ($4.33/cubic yard, Thu-Sat 8am-3:50pm); HHW for county residents is routed to the City of Austin Recycle & Reuse Center.
- Call2Recycle drop-off network (Austin)Rechargeable and single-use batteries (under 11 lb) at Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy, Staples and other retail locations citywide; terminals must be taped or bagged before drop-off.
- Travis County recycling locatorSearchable database of drop-off sites for paint, electronics, batteries, and other materials across Travis County.
Where this came from: 12 sources
- www.austintexas.gov/dropoff (opens in a new tab)
- www.austintexas.gov/resource-recovery/locations/recycle-and-reuse-drop-center (opens in a new tab)
- www.austintexas.gov/resource-recovery/programs/demand-bulk-brush-and-household-hazardous-waste-collection (opens in a new tab)
- www.austintexas.gov/batteries (opens in a new tab)
- www.austintexas.gov/reblend (opens in a new tab)
- www.austintexas.gov/uro (opens in a new tab)
- www.austintexas.gov/zerowaste (opens in a new tab)
- www.traviscountytx.gov/tnr/environmental-quality/conserve/disposal-recycling (opens in a new tab)
- www.tceq.texas.gov/p2/recycle/electronics (opens in a new tab)
- www.paintcare.org/paintcare-states (opens in a new tab)
- www.goodwillcentraltexas.org/about-us/dell-reconnect (opens in a new tab)
- locations.call2recycle.org (opens in a new tab)
Common questions
About Car Battery Recycling here
How much does Car Battery recycling cost in this area?
1 of 3 facilities (33%) offer free recycling for Car Battery. Facilities that may charge: Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center, Batteries Plus (Burnet Rd). Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center: Free for residents. Fees for tires, mattresses, large appliances.. Batteries Plus (Burnet Rd): Free for most household batteries; small fee for some chemistries.
Do I need an appointment for Car Battery drop-off?
1 facility requires an appointment: Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center. Batteries Plus (Burnet Rd), AutoZone (Austin) - Car Battery & Oil Recycling accept walk-ins.
Is pickup available for Car Battery?
Most facilities require you to drop off Car Battery. Check individual listings for special arrangements.
Are there quantity limits for Car Battery drop-off?
Some facilities have limits: Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center: Residential quantities only Residential quantities; AutoZone (Austin) - Car Battery & Oil Recycling: 5 gallons oil, 2 batteries typical.
How much is a car battery core charge?
The core charge on a new car battery ranges from $5 to $22 depending on the state and retailer. You get a full refund when you return your old battery at the time of purchase.
What happens to recycled car batteries?
Lead-acid batteries are the most recycled product in America at 99%. The lead is smelted into new battery components, the polypropylene plastic is reprocessed, and the sulfuric acid is neutralized into water or converted to sodium sulfate for fertilizer.