Battery Recycling · Charlotte, NC
Lithium Ion Battery Disposal in Charlotte
Before you go
Lithium cells are the item on this site most likely to cause an actual fire. Two minutes of tape prevents nearly all of it.
Tape the terminals
Clear packing tape or electrical tape over the contacts. It stops a loose cell shorting against metal in a bin, which is one of the ways these start fires. It is not the main one: most battery fires at recycling facilities begin with a cell being crushed, so taping a cell does not make it safe to put in a bin that is not meant for batteries.
Never put them in curbside recycling or the trash
A lithium cell that gets crushed in a collection truck or a sorting line starts a fire that's very hard to put out. This is the reason your hauler asks.
Handle a swollen or hot battery differently
Put it in a non-flammable container (a metal tin, or sand or cat litter in a bucket), keep it away from anything that burns, and call the site before you drive over. Some locations won't accept a damaged cell over the counter.
Bag cells individually where tape won't stick
Recessed or irregular terminals don't hold tape well. A separate zip bag per cell does the same job of keeping contacts apart.
Run it down before it sits in a drawer
A cell waiting a few days is safer at a low state of charge than a full one. Don't fully discharge it either; around half is the comfortable place.
Compare options
Lithium Ion Battery Disposal in Charlotte
3 free · 1 fee-based
| Facility | Cost | Open now | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County - Hickory Grove Recycling Center (Full HHW)(704) 563-6359 | Free | ||
| The Home Depot (South Blvd) - Call2Recycle | Free | ||
| Lowe's (Iverson Way / South End) - Call2Recycle | Free | ||
| Paid or fee-based options | |||
| Batteries Plus (Park Rd)(704) 333-3325 | Free for most |
||
Where they are
Relative positions across Charlotte. Not a street map: use Directions on a facility page to navigate.
Free Fee or conditional
How it works in Charlotte
Statewide landfill/incinerator ban takes effect December 1, 2026 (SL 2023-137 amending G.S. 130A-309.10(f)). Free drop-off year-round at any of the 4 Mecklenburg Full-Service Recycling Centers, plus Call2Recycle bins at Charlotte-area Home Depot and Lowe's stores (bring 1-4 batteries per visit, terminals taped). Never place in curbside trash or recycling — Mecklenburg facilities have had repeated battery fires (three on a single day in April 2025).
Local rules
- NC G.S. 130A-309.10(f), as amended by SL 2023-137 — lithium-ion battery landfill and incinerator ban statewide, effective December 1, 2026.
- NC G.S. 130A-309.70 prohibits disposal of lead-acid batteries in landfills, incinerators, or waste-to-energy facilities; retailers selling lead-acid batteries must accept used ones for recycling.
Worth knowing
- Curbside trash crews in Charlotte will not pick up TVs, computers, paint cans, or batteries.
- Lithium-ion battery fires have become a frequent operational issue at Mecklenburg's facilities — multiple same-day fires reported in April 2025 — driving an active county education campaign.
Mecklenburg County household hazardous waste
Mecklenburg County Full-Service Recycling Centers
Four county centers accept HHW, electronics, and batteries. Mecklenburg County residents only — free with blue entry sticker.
15 more Charlotte rules, not specific to this item
- NC G.S. 130A-309.10 — statewide landfill ban (effective July 1, 2011) on televisions, computers, monitors, printers, scanners, fax/copy devices, and computer peripherals (except keyboards and mice). Curbside trash crews will not collect TVs or computers.
- NC statewide bans also in effect: used motor oil, motor-vehicle oil filters, antifreeze, aluminum cans, plastic bottles (all under G.S. 130A-309.10). Fluorescent lights banned from C&D landfills; photovoltaic modules banned in C&D effective Dec 1, 2026.
- Mecklenburg County Source Separation Ordinance — businesses generating 16+ cubic yards of trash per week AND more than 500 lb/month of corrugated cardboard and/or 500 lb/month of office paper must source-separate and recycle those materials. Roughly 4,900 businesses are covered.
- PaintCare does NOT operate in North Carolina. Latex and oil-based paint are handled through county HHW programs, not a producer-funded stewardship program.
- Mecklenburg County Solid Waste Ordinance (Chapter 54, County Code): regulates all county solid waste operations, facilities access, prohibited materials, and fee structures.
- Four Full-Service Recycling Centers: Foxhole (17131 Lancaster Hwy, 28277), Hickory Grove (8007 Pence Rd, 28215), Compost Central (140 Valleydale Rd, 28214), and North Mecklenburg (12300 N. Statesville Rd, Huntersville 28078).
- Free blue entry sticker required for Mecklenburg County residents at full-service centers; picked up at the fee booth on first visit with a NC driver's license/proof of residency.
- Non-residents may buy an annual out-of-county sticker at the fee booth for residential-equivalent access; without it, non-residents pay a per-entry fee for every visit (including recycling).
- All four full-service centers operate Mon-Sat 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.; closed Sunday.
- Mecklenburg also operates five smaller self-service centers that accept only the standard 6 curbside materials — no HHW, electronics, or paint at those.
- Hickory Grove and North Mecklenburg only accept trailers up to 12 ft long for bulky/C&D loads; trees up to 24-inch diameter at those two, up to 48-inch at Compost Central and Foxhole.
- Charlotte curbside green cart accepts only 6 item types — cardboard, cans, cartons, paper, glass bottles, plastic bottles/jugs with necks. No plastic tubs/clamshells, no bagged items. Collected every other week (Green/Orange week schedule).
- Mecklenburg County HHW does not accept business hazardous waste day-to-day; businesses must use the quarterly Small Business HW Event (appointment required) or contract NC DEQ-listed haulers.
- PaintCare does not operate in NC, making Charlotte reliant solely on county HHW — unlike cities in PaintCare states (CO, OR, CA) where 200+ retail drop-off sites supplement municipal programs.
- The Mecklenburg County Source Separation Ordinance covers roughly 4,900 businesses — one of the most comprehensive commercial recycling mandates in the Southeast.
Other Charlotte programs
- Mecklenburg County Small Business Hazardous Waste EventQuarterly, by-appointment hazardous waste drop-off for Very Small Quantity Generators (VSQGs) — businesses, non-profits, churches generating <220 lb/month hazardous waste. Accepts fluorescents, pesticides, rechargeable batteries, paints, etc. Reduced fee.336-855-7925
- Mecklenburg County Metal & Tire Recovery CenterScrap metal and tire disposal at 5740 Rozzelles Ferry Rd, Charlotte. Commercial tire haulers must obtain a Tire Disposal Permit (TDP), renewed annually each July.704-336-2673
- Mecklenburg County Full-Service Recycling Centers (4 locations)HHW, electronics, paint, batteries, large appliances, bulky waste, scrap metal, tires, yard waste, and clean wood. Locations: Foxhole (17131 Lancaster Hwy, Charlotte), Hickory Grove (8007 Pence Rd, Charlotte), Compost Central (140 Valleydale Rd, Charlotte), North Mecklenburg (12300 N Statesville Rd, Huntersville). Mon-Sat 7AM-4PM. Free blue sticker required for residents.
- Self-Service Recycling Centers (5 locations)Five smaller staffed self-service centers (recycling only) accepting cardboard, cans, cartons, paper, glass bottles, and plastic bottles/jugs with necks — no HHW or electronics. Supplement the 4 full-service centers.704-336-2673
- Call2Recycle drop-off network (Charlotte)Public battery (rechargeable, lithium-ion, cellphone) drop-off bins at Home Depot and Lowe's stores throughout Charlotte (e.g., 1220 N Wendover Rd, 4750 South Blvd, 5415 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, 8135 University City Blvd, 9501 Albemarle Rd, 8192 S Tryon St).
- Greentec Auto / Greentec Recycling — CharlotteHybrid and EV battery replacement and recycling, including large-format lithium-ion packs; serves consumers and businesses in the Charlotte area (Greentec Auto facility in Concord, NC).
- City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services — Bulky Item & TV CollectionCharlotte residents can schedule bulky pickup through CLT+ / 311 for items including old televisions (city special-collection program separate from curbside trash).311 (704-336-7600)
- Batteries Plus — Charlotte locationsFree recycling for rechargeable and single-use batteries plus fluorescent bulbs/tubes at Charlotte-area Batteries Plus stores. Also accepts small electronics (phones, tablets) and ballasts for recycling.
- NC Department of Justice shred-event calendar (Charlotte area)Free community paper-shredding events hosted at Charlotte-area banks, credit unions, and police stations; typically cluster in April-May and September-October.
- Mecklenburg County Compost Central facilityAccepts yard waste for composting (leaves, grass, brush, limbs up to 48-inch diameter) at 140 Valleydale Rd, Charlotte. Finished compost and mulch available for purchase (free for residents with a blue sticker, limited quantities).
- Mecklenburg County Household Hazardous Waste Disposal ProgramYear-round HHW drop-off at all 4 Full-Service Recycling Centers. Accepts oil-based paint, pesticides, automotive fluids, acids/bases, fluorescent bulbs, rechargeable batteries, medications, and propane tanks. Combined 100-pound residential limit for paint plus HHW items per visit.
Where this came from: 15 sources
- wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/where-can-i-recycle (opens in a new tab)
- wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/services/household-hazardous-waste-disposal (opens in a new tab)
- wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/services/electronic-waste-disposal (opens in a new tab)
- wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/services/business-hazardous-waste-disposal (opens in a new tab)
- news.mecknc.gov/drop-rechargeable-batteries-full-service-recycling-centers (opens in a new tab)
- www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/environmental-assistance-and-customer-service/recycling-and-materials-management/programs-offered/recycling-support-local-government-and-state-agencies/material-disposal-regulations-and-support/north-carolina-landfill-disposal-bans (opens in a new tab)
- www.deq.nc.gov/batteries (opens in a new tab)
- www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_130a/gs_130a-309.10.html (opens in a new tab)
- www.paintcare.org/paintcare-states (opens in a new tab)
- locations.call2recycle.org/nc/charlotte (opens in a new tab)
- www.charlottenc.gov/Services/Trash-and-Recycling (opens in a new tab)
- wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/Fees-Permits-Ordinances (opens in a new tab)
- www.bestbuy.com/site/services/recycling/pcmcat149900050025.c (opens in a new tab)
- www.batteriesplus.com/recycling (opens in a new tab)
- ncdoj.gov/protecting-consumers/identity-theft/nc-shred-events (opens in a new tab)
Common questions
About Lithium Ion Battery Disposal here
How much does Lithium Ion Battery disposal cost in this area?
3 of 4 facilities (75%) offer free disposal for Lithium Ion Battery. Facilities that may charge: Batteries Plus (Park Rd). Batteries Plus (Park Rd): Free for most household batteries; small fee for some types.
Do I need an appointment for Lithium Ion Battery drop-off?
No appointment needed. Mecklenburg County - Hickory Grove Recycling Center (Full HHW), The Home Depot (South Blvd) - Call2Recycle, Lowe's (Iverson Way / South End) - Call2Recycle, Batteries Plus (Park Rd) accept walk-ins.
Is pickup available for Lithium Ion Battery?
Most facilities require you to drop off Lithium Ion Battery. Check individual listings for special arrangements.
Are there quantity limits for Lithium Ion Battery drop-off?
Some facilities have limits: Mecklenburg County - Hickory Grove Recycling Center (Full HHW): Residential quantities Residential quantities only; The Home Depot (South Blvd) - Call2Recycle: Residential quantities; Lowe's (Iverson Way / South End) - Call2Recycle: Residential quantities.
Why do I need to tape battery terminals?
Lithium-ion batteries can short circuit if the positive and negative terminals touch metal (keys, coins, wires). This can cause fires in collection bins and trucks. Use clear tape or electrical tape to cover the terminals.
Can lithium-ion batteries go in the trash?
Never — lithium-ion batteries are classified as hazardous waste. They can cause fires in landfills and recycling facilities. All states require them to be recycled or disposed as hazardous waste.