Household Batteries

Madison residents and taxpayers can recycle household batteries by first getting them ready for recycling then bringing them to a drop-off site.  There is no fee for batteries at the Streets Division drop-off sites.

You may have other options for battery recycling as well.

Some hardware stores (Home Depot, Ace Hardware, etc.) and stores that sell electronics (Best Buy, Staples, etc.) may offer recycling for rechargeable batteries.  

Specialty battery stores (i.e., Batteries Plus) also offer battery recycling. 

If you are choosing to use a private store for battery recycling, we recommend contacting them to verify what they take and any costs before showing up with your batteries. 

New State Law Starts January 1, 2028

In 2026, the State of Wisconsin passed a battery recycling law.

The basic summary of the law is that starting on January 1, 2028 you will be required to recycle all household batteries - including alkaline - at a battery recycling drop-off point.

If you are already taking your household batteries to a City of Madison drop-off site or another reputable recycler - great! The city drop-off sites have been taking batteries for recycling for many years now, and we plan on continuing this in the future.

If you haven't been recycling your batteries at the drop-off sites, today is a good day to break that habit. Keep reading this page or watch the explainer video to learn what to do.

If you want to learn more specifics about the new state law, go to the Wisconsin DNR website.

How to Recycle Your Batteries with the Streets Division

  1. Separate Batteries

    Separate the batteries you have into the main household battery types:

    • Alkaline
    • Lithium
    • Nickel
    • Lead acid
      • Lead acid batteries are for cars, boats, and also found in uninterruptible power supplies.

  2. Tape All Lithium & Nickel Batteries & Certain Alkaline Batteries

    Use clear tape, like packing tape, to cover the contact points of lithium and nickel batteries.

    Alkaline batteries greater than 12 volts should have their contact points taped.

    "Contact points" are usually exposed metal parts of the battery, or they look like little plug-ins.  

  3. Take Batteries to Drop-off Site

    Place alkaline, lithium, and nickel batteries in the correct buckets at the drop-off sites.

    Empty your batteries out of the container you used to take them to the drop-off site.  Do not leave them in the bag, bottle, or so on. 

    Place lead acid batteries, including uninterruptible power supply (UPS) batteries, with the vehicle batteries.

    Drop-off site locations and hours.

Have Questions?

 

Contact Us

streets@cityofmadison.com

East: 608-246-4532

West: 608-266-4681

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