Battery Recycling · Seattle, WA
Lithium Ion Battery Disposal in Seattle
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 Seattle
4 free · 2 fee-based
| Facility | Cost | Open now | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Seattle Household Hazardous Waste Facility(206) 296-4692 | Free | ||
| South Seattle Household Hazardous Waste Facility(206) 296-4692 | Free | ||
| The Home Depot (Seattle) - Call2Recycle Battery Drop-Off | Free | ||
| Lowe's (Seattle) - Call2Recycle Battery Drop-Off | Free | ||
| Paid or fee-based options | |||
| Seattle North Transfer Station(206) 684-3000 | Depends on the item |
||
| Seattle South Transfer Station(206) 684-8400 | Depends on the item |
||
Where they are
Relative positions across Seattle. Not a street map: use Directions on a facility page to navigate.
Free Fee or conditional 2 more listings are not plotted, 2 because they cover a whole metro rather than one address.
How it works in Seattle
Lithium-ion batteries are banned from Seattle garbage under SW-404 and are a major fire risk. Free drop-off at King County HHW facilities (North and South), Call2Recycle locations (Home Depot, Lowe's, Staples), and Best Buy. Seattle Special Item Pickup offers one free battery pickup/year ($5 thereafter). WA's new battery EPR law (SB 5144, 2023) will expand collection infrastructure statewide.
Local rules
- Seattle Director's Rule SW-404: bans batteries and covered electronics from municipal solid waste in Seattle (garbage, recycling carts, transfer stations). Violations result in a tag on the cart asking the resident to remove the items — no fines. Effective January 1, 2025 for batteries.
- WA Battery EPR Law (SB 5144, signed May 11, 2023): producer-funded statewide battery collection program. Bans portable batteries (rechargeable and primary single-use) from the trash. Program implementation was still rolling out as of 2026; the law was driven partly by battery-caused fires at Seattle transfer stations and MRFs.
- RCW 70A.205 — general solid waste management: electronics in the trash must be separated for recycling; disposal bans for lead-acid batteries, mercury-containing lights, and other universal wastes also apply. King County has additional local requirements.
Worth knowing
- Seattle's Special Item Curbside Pickup includes one FREE battery pickup per year, a free small electronics box per year, free curbside motor oil/used cooking oil, and free styrofoam pickup — a genuinely useful program many Seattleites don't know they have.
- Battery-caused fires at Seattle transfer stations and in collection trucks have been a major safety driver behind both the Seattle SW-404 ban and the state battery EPR law. Seattle's South Transfer Station had multiple battery fires in 2024-2025.
King County household hazardous waste
King County / Seattle HHW — North & South Facilities
Free for all King County residents. Two facilities: North (12550 Stone Ave N, Sun-Mon-Tue 9-5) and South (8100 2nd Ave S, Thu-Fri-Sat 9-5). No appointment needed.
8 more Seattle rules, not specific to this item
- Washington Electronic Product Recycling Law (RCW 70A.500, 2006): created E-Cycle Washington — one of the first state-level producer-funded e-waste programs in the US. Covers TVs, computers, monitors, laptops, tablets, e-readers, and portable DVD players. Manufacturers fund collection and recycling.
- PaintCare Washington launched based on the state's Paint Stewardship Law: PaintCare operates drop-off sites across the state funded by a per-container fee at purchase — covers architectural paints, primers, stains, varnishes, and sealers up to 5 gallons.
- Seattle's two permanent HHW facilities (North and South) run completely different schedules: North is Sun-Mon-Tue, South is Thu-Fri-Sat. They're closed Wednesday and Sunday — exactly the days people try to go. The North facility was originally described as having a different address (12550 Stone Ave N at the Seattle.gov page lists Sunday/Monday/Tuesday).
- King County HHW accepts waste from ALL King County residents, not just Seattle residents — the North and South Seattle facilities plus the Factoria (Bellevue) site and traveling Wastemobile. This is unusually generous compared to city-only programs in other metros.
- E-Cycle Washington does NOT cover computer peripherals (keyboards, mice, printers), contrary to what many Seattle residents assume. Those go to Best Buy/Staples or the HHW facilities instead.
- The Wastemobile has been running since 1989 — one of the longest-running mobile HHW collection programs in the US. It visits ~20 locations/year across King County from February through October.
- PaintCare Washington accepts latex AND oil-based paint at the same drop-off sites — unlike some states where HHW handles the oil-based stuff. Sherwin-Williams, Miller Paint, and Rodda Paint are the most common Seattle-area PaintCare sites.
- King County's Haz Waste Help Line (206-296-4692) also gives advice on safer alternatives to hazardous household products — a free consultation service.
Other Seattle programs
- North Seattle Household Hazardous Waste FacilityFree HHW drop-off for all King County residents. 12550 Stone Avenue North, Seattle 98133. Hours: Sunday/Monday/Tuesday 9 AM-5 PM. No appointment needed. Closed major holidays.
- South Seattle Household Hazardous Waste FacilityFree HHW drop-off for all King County residents. 8100 2nd Ave S, Seattle 98108 (Recology site lists as 8105 Fifth Avenue S). Hours: Thursday/Friday/Saturday 9 AM-5 PM. No appointment needed. Closed major holidays.
- Factoria HHW Drop-Off Service (Bellevue)Free HHW drop-off for all King County residents at 13800 SE 32nd St, Bellevue. Third permanent HHW site serving the Eastside.
- King County WastemobileFree traveling HHW collection events across communities in King County, February through October. 10 AM-5 PM on listed dates. No fee. Standard HHW limits apply. Locations include UW Bothell Campus, Redmond Home Depot, Kent/Covington Fire Station 75, and others — rotates through the county. Year-round weekend location at The Outlet Collection in Auburn (1101 Outlet Collection Dr SW, every Sat-Sun).206-296-4692
- E-Cycle Washington (state program)Free recycling for TVs, computers, laptops, monitors, tablets, e-readers, and portable DVD players. Producer-funded program (Chapter 70A.500 RCW) — free for Washington residents and small businesses. Hundreds of drop-off sites across the state. Peripherals (keyboards, mice, printers) not covered — take to Best Buy or Staples for free.800-732-9253
- PaintCare WashingtonStatewide paint stewardship program. Free drop-off for latex and oil-based architectural paints, primers, stains, sealers, shellac, and varnish at participating retailers (Sherwin-Williams, Miller Paint, Rodda Paint, Ace Hardware, True Value, and others). Containers up to 5 gallons accepted. Funded by per-container fee at point of sale.855-724-6809
- SPU Special Item Curbside PickupSeattle Public Utilities customers can schedule on-demand curbside pickup for batteries, small electronics, lightbulbs, styrofoam, and more. Batteries: first pickup FREE per year ($5 after), limit 2 one-gallon bags, tape ends. Small electronics box: first pickup FREE ($20 after), max 2'x2'x2'/60 lb. Large items (furniture, appliances, TVs over 2'x2'x2'): $31/item. Schedule online or at 206-684-3000.206-684-3000
- Call2Recycle / Battery Network (drop-off)Free rechargeable and lithium-ion battery drop-off at participating Seattle-area Home Depot, Lowe's, Staples, and other retailers. Do NOT bring damaged, defective, or recalled batteries (DDR) to collection sites.
- Home Collection Program (King County)Free at-home HHW pickup for King County residents age 65+ or with a disability who cannot access a collection site. Operates Wednesdays 9 AM-3 PM, but may have a backlog. Does NOT collect latex paint, tires, electronics, or medications.206-296-4692
- Best Buy & Staples (retail take-back)Best Buy accepts most electronics free (limit 3 items/day per household). Staples accepts up to 7 items/day free, plus ink/toner cartridges with Staples Rewards ($2/cartridge). Both accept keyboards, printers, and other peripherals not covered by E-Cycle Washington.
- Auburn Wastemobile (year-round weekend)Year-round weekend HHW collection at The Outlet Collection Mall, 1101 Outlet Collection Dr SW, Auburn. Every Saturday and Sunday 10 AM-5 PM. No appointment needed. Free for King County residents.
Where this came from: 19 sources
- www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/collection-and-disposal/garbage/hazardous-waste-items/where-to-dispose-of-hazardous-waste (opens in a new tab)
- www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/collection-and-disposal/ban-on-batteries-and-electronics-in-garbage (opens in a new tab)
- www.seattle.gov/utilities/your-services/collection-and-disposal/recycling/special-item-pickup (opens in a new tab)
- kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/waste-services/hazardous-waste-program/household/disposal-facilities (opens in a new tab)
- kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/waste-services/hazardous-waste-program/wastemobile (opens in a new tab)
- kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/waste-services/garbage-recycling-compost/services/electronics-recycling (opens in a new tab)
- kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/waste-services/garbage-recycling-compost/services/paint-recycling (opens in a new tab)
- kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/waste-services/hazardous-waste-program/news-events/news/2025-02-18-battery-and-electonics-disposal (opens in a new tab)
- kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dnrp/waste-services/hazardous-waste-program/news-events/news/2026-wastemobile-schedule-is-here (opens in a new tab)
- ecology.wa.gov/waste-toxics/reducing-recycling-waste/our-recycling-programs/electronics-e-cycle (opens in a new tab)
- ecology.wa.gov/waste-toxics/reducing-recycling-waste/our-recycling-programs/paint-stewardship (opens in a new tab)
- www.paintcare.org/states/washington (opens in a new tab)
- ecyclewa.org (opens in a new tab)
- www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/SPU/Services/Recycling/Proper-Disposal-Batteries-Electronics_English.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70A.500 (opens in a new tab)
- www.epa.gov/electronics-batteries-management/battery-collection-action-case-study-seattle-public-utilities (opens in a new tab)
- www.wastetodaymagazine.com/news/seattle-battery-disposal-ban-takes-effect (opens in a new tab)
- wasteadvantagemag.com/seattle-public-utilities-announces-coming-in-spring-2026-easier-disposal-for-hard-to-recycle-items (opens in a new tab)
- zerowastewashington.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MEDIA-RELEASE-Governor-signs-Washingtons-Battery-Recycling-Bill-into-law-May-11-2023.pdf (opens in a new tab)
Common questions
About Lithium Ion Battery Disposal here
How much does Lithium Ion Battery disposal cost in this area?
4 of 6 facilities (67%) offer free disposal for Lithium Ion Battery. Facilities that may charge: Seattle North Transfer Station, Seattle South Transfer Station. Seattle North Transfer Station: Garbage/yard waste fees apply. Free recyclable drop-off.. Seattle South Transfer Station: Garbage/yard waste fees apply. Free recyclable drop-off..
Do I need an appointment for Lithium Ion Battery drop-off?
No appointment needed. Seattle North Transfer Station, Seattle South Transfer Station, North Seattle Household Hazardous Waste Facility, South Seattle Household Hazardous Waste Facility 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: North Seattle Household Hazardous Waste Facility: Residential quantities; South Seattle Household Hazardous Waste Facility: Residential quantities; The Home Depot (Seattle) - Call2Recycle Battery Drop-Off: Residential quantities; Lowe's (Seattle) - Call2Recycle Battery Drop-Off: 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.