Free Battery Recycling & Disposal in San Diego
Recycle rechargeable, lithium-ion and power tool batteries for free at any of our three San Diego County recycling centers, no appointment needed.
📍 4009 Hicock St STE D, San Diego, CA 92110
📍 819 Anita St, Chula Vista, CA 91911
📍 2930 Norman Strasse Rd STE 104, San Marcos
🔋 Rechargeable batteries remain FREE to recycle.
🔋 Single-use (AA, AAA, 9V, button cells) alkaline batteries have a small recycling fee of $2 per pound.
⚠️ Note: We do not accept damaged, leaking, swollen, punctured, burned, or otherwise hazardous batteries. Please contact us before bringing in any battery that appears damaged.
What Battery Recycling Costs in San Diego
We charge a small fee for only a few specialty battery items, listed below so you know what to expect before your visit.
What you have
Cost
Rechargeable lithium-ion, NiMH, NiCd, Ni-Zn
FREE
Laptop, phone and tablet batteries
FREE
Power tool battery packs
FREE
UPS and backup power batteries
FREE
Batteries still inside a device
FREE
Single-use household AA, AAA, C, D, 9V
$2 per pound
Button and coin cells from watches, hearing aids, key fobs
$2 per pound
E-bike and e-scooter batteries
$10 each (battery must be removable)
Car, marine and other large batteries
Loose, damaged, swollen, leaking or burned batteries
Not accepted
About 20 AA batteries weigh one pound, so clearing out a household’s batteries usually costs $2 to $6. However, for large-volume drop-offs, call before you load the car.
Where to Recycle Batteries in San Diego
Batteries are accepted at our three recycling centers only. However, our Miramar, Kearny Mesa and Oceanside sites accept electronics only.
Why We Charge for Single-Use Batteries
Alkaline and other single-use batteries cost more to process because:
- Our downstream processor charges us to dispose of them properly
- They can’t be reused, so there is no recovered value to offset the cost
- They have to be sorted by hand and kept apart from other battery types
- They must be handled as hazardous waste
The small fee is what keeps rechargeable battery recycling free. Rechargeable batteries are most of what we receive, and they are the more hazardous type to get wrong.
Batteries We Accept
Rechargeable Batteries (Free)
Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-zinc (Ni-Zn), and rechargeable AA and AAA cells of any brand. Any size, any quantity, working or dead.
Lithium-Ion Batteries (Free)
Laptop packs, phone and tablet batteries, camera and drone batteries, lithium-polymer (Li-Po) packs, and loose 18650 and 21700 cells, in any quantity. Loose cells must be undamaged.
Power Tool Battery Packs (Free)
DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, Ryobi, Bosch, Hilti and every other brand of cordless tool pack, whether NiCd, NiMH or lithium-ion. Tape the contacts before you transport them.
UPS and Backup Power Batteries (Free)
UPS and backup power batteries, from a small desktop unit to a server room system. Non-leaking only.
Batteries Still Inside Devices (Free, and Leave Them In)
Don’t take the battery out. Bring us the whole device.
Most battery drop-off bins refuse phones, laptops, tablets, headphones, fitness trackers and electric toothbrushes because they only take loose batteries. Instead, we accept the whole device and remove the battery ourselves under controlled conditions.
This includes devices whose battery has swollen. A swollen battery inside a laptop is fine to bring in. A loose swollen battery is not.
Prying a glued-in lithium battery out of a phone or laptop is one of the most common ways people start fires at home. It’s free either way, so leave it to us.
Alkaline and Single-Use Battery Recycling ($2 per Pound)
All non-rechargeable household batteries including AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, 6V lantern batteries, button and coin cells (watches, hearing aids, key fobs, remotes), and lithium coin cells such as CR2032.
E-Bike and E-Scooter Battery Recycling ($10 Each)
$10 per battery, and the battery must be removable from the frame. If it’s built into the bike or scooter, call (619) 889-1305 before bringing it in.
E-bike batteries hold more energy than anything else most households own. If yours is swollen, damaged, or has been in a crash or fire, don’t transport it.
Car Battery Recycling and Other Large Batteries (CONTACT US FIRST)
Car, truck, motorcycle and marine batteries, sealed lead-acid and AGM batteries, and any large or industrial battery pack need approval before drop-off. Call (619) 889-1305 with the type, quantity and condition, and we will confirm before you make the trip.
How to Prepare Batteries for Drop-Off
A few minutes of prep makes your trip safer and check-in faster.
- Tape the terminals on lithium, 9V and button cell batteries with clear packing or electrical tape, so they can’t short-circuit.
- Bag rechargeable and single-use batteries separately. Single-use batteries are weighed for the $2/lb fee, so keeping them apart speeds things up.
- Leave built-in batteries in the device. Bring the whole phone, laptop or tool.
- Use a sturdy, non-metal container, such as a plastic bin or cardboard box, and keep it out of direct sun in the car.
- Don’t transport loose damaged batteries.
- Call ahead for large volumes at (619) 889-1305.
What to Do with Damaged, Swollen or Leaking Batteries
Please read this section before you get in the car with batteries.
How to Tell if a Battery Has Failed
Swelling: a laptop that no longer sits flat, a trackpad lifting, or a phone screen separating from the frame
Leaking: white crust on alkaline batteries, or any fluid coming from a lithium or lead-acid battery
Heat: hot to the touch when it isn’t in use or charging
Smell: a sweet, solvent-like smell from a lithium battery means it is venting
Damage: a punctured, crushed or cracked case.
What to Do Right Now
- Stop charging it and unplug it.
- Turn the device off if you can do so safely.
- Move it somewhere cool, dry and away from anything flammable, such as a concrete floor, a garage, or outdoors under cover.
- Do not press, puncture, bend or try to remove it.
- Don’t put it in any trash or recycling bin.
- Try not to put it in water or rice.
- Leave it alone. A failing lithium battery is more stable and left undisturbed.
If the Battery Is Inside a Device
Bring the whole device to any of our three recycling centers. It’s free. This applies to laptops, phones, tablets, cameras, headphones, cordless tools with sealed packs, and anything else with a built-in battery. Our technicians remove the battery under controlled conditions. Don’t pry it out, don’t remove the back panel, and don’t try to “make it safe” first.
If the Battery Is Loose
- We cannot accept a loose, damaged battery, such as a bare cell, a removed pack, or a tool battery out of its housing.
- Call the San Diego County recycling and hazardous waste hotline. They will direct you to the right facility for your address.
Why We Charge for Single-Use Batteries
Alkaline and other single-use batteries cost more to process because:
- Our downstream processor charges us to dispose of them properly
- They can’t be reused, so there’s no recovered value to offset the cost
- They have to be sorted by hand and kept apart from other battery types
- They must be handled as hazardous waste
As a result, the small fee is what keeps rechargeable battery recycling free. In fact, rechargeable batteries are most of what we receive, and they’re the more hazardous type to get wrong.
Drop Off Your Batteries in San Diego
Bring your batteries to Point Loma, Chula Vista or San Marcos, with no appointment needed. Rechargeable batteries are free and single-use batteries are $2 per pound. If a battery is damaged, call first and we will point you to the right facility.
Commercial Battery Disposal for Businesses
Offices, IT departments, repair shops, schools and property managers often have batteries in bulk. We handle business battery recycling at our three recycling centers:
- Rechargeable, lithium-ion and power tool batteries: free in any quantity
- UPS and server room backup batteries: free, non-leaking only
- Batteries inside laptops, phones and other devices: free, and part of our [free business e-waste pickup] when you have multiple devices
- Large or industrial battery packs: call (619) 889-1305 first for approval
For large volumes, call ahead so we can be ready for your drop-off. Retiring computers or office equipment at the same time? See our commercial e-waste compliance checklist.
Why Battery Recycling Matters in California
In California, all batteries are classified as hazardous waste, and it’s illegal to put them in the trash or your recycling cart. Batteries contain metals like lead, cadmium and mercury that can leak into soil and water. Lithium-ion batteries are also a common cause of fires in garbage trucks and recycling facilities when they’re crushed.
Safe battery disposal starts with recycling. When you recycle with Dream E-Waste, every battery is sorted by type and sent for proper processing, and valuable materials are recovered for reuse.
Learn more in Is It Illegal to Throw Away Electronics in California?
Recycling your Batteries with Dream E-Waste
Bring us all your batteries to our facility for safe battery recycling and disposal. Our eco-friendly process ensures that all hazardous materials are handled responsibly while valuable resources are recovered.
Recycling your batteries keeps mercury, lead, and cadmium from contaminating our soil and waterways. We make sure each battery is sorted, processed, and recycled according to strict environmental standards.
Join us in our mission to create a greener planet!
Why Choose Dream Electronic Recycling
- Free rechargeable battery recycling at our three designated recycling centers.
- Single-use battery recycling for $2 per pound.
- Batteries inside devices accepted. We accept batteries that other drop-off programs may refuse.
- Convenient San Diego County locations with Saturday hours at Point Loma and San Marcos.
- Damaged battery guidance. Contact us before bringing damaged or swollen batteries so we can direct you to the appropriate facility.
- Certified and registered recycling. R2v3-certified and registered with CalRecycle (CEWID #127772).
- Locally owned and operated since 2015.