Drop Off Your Auto Battery at Our Recycle Center — But Please Read Carefully Before Bringing Any Other Type of Battery.

Battery recycling is one of the most-asked-about topics at our recycle center, and for good reason. Modern households use more batteries than ever — from the lead-acid battery under your car's hood to the lithium-ion packs powering your phone, laptop, cordless tools, and electric yard equipment. Different battery chemistries require very different handling, and at Recycle Strong, we specialize in one type only. This page explains exactly what we accept, what we don't, and where to take the batteries we can't process.

Quick Reference: What We Accept and What We Don't

✓ WHAT WE DO TAKE:

• Automotive lead-acid batteries ("soft lead") — car, truck, motorcycle, RV, boat, and similar vehicle batteries
• Electric lawnmowers and similar cordless yard tools — accepted only when the lithium battery pack has been removed

✗ WHAT WE DO NOT TAKE:

• Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries of any kind
• Lithium primary (single-use lithium) batteries
• Battery packs from electric lawnmowers, leaf blowers, weed eaters, drills, and other cordless tools
• Laptop, tablet, smartphone, and e-reader batteries
• E-bike, e-scooter, and hoverboard batteries
• Alkaline household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V)
• Rechargeable household batteries (NiMH, NiCd)
• Button and coin cell batteries

If you have batteries we don't accept, please use Call2Recycle drop-off locations (call2recycle.org), your county household hazardous waste facility, or a participating retailer such as Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy, or Batteries Plus, many of which offer free battery take-back programs.

Understanding the Different Types of Batteries

Not all batteries are the same. The chemistry inside the casing determines how the battery behaves, what it powers, and how it must be recycled. Below is a breakdown of the most common battery types people ask us about — along with our policy on each.

Lead-Acid Batteries (Automotive Batteries)

✓ YES — We accept lead-acid automotive batteries.

Lead-acid batteries are the heavy, rectangular batteries found under the hood of nearly every gas-powered vehicle. In the scrap industry, they're often called "soft lead" because of the type of lead inside. They're also used in motorcycles, boats, RVs, golf carts, lawn tractors, and backup power systems.

Lead-acid is the most-recycled battery chemistry in America — over 99% of automotive batteries get recycled, with the lead, plastic casing, and acid all recovered and reused. Bring your old auto battery to our recycle center during business hours. Please transport it upright to prevent acid leakage, and avoid setting it down on bare metal during transport.

Lithium-Ion Batteries

NO — We do NOT accept lithium-ion batteries of any kind.

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are the rechargeable powerhouses behind most modern portable electronics and electric tools. You'll find them in smartphones, laptops, tablets, cordless power tools, electric lawnmowers, leaf blowers, e-bikes, e-scooters, hoverboards, and electric vehicles.

Lithium-ion batteries are extremely hazardous to handle improperly. Damaged, punctured, or short-circuited Li-ion batteries can ignite — sometimes spontaneously — causing intense fires that are very difficult to extinguish and can damage entire facilities. Recycling them safely requires specialized equipment we are not set up to provide. Please do not bring lithium-ion batteries to our center. Take them to Call2Recycle, your local hazardous waste facility, or a participating retailer.

Lithium Primary (Single-Use Lithium) Batteries

NO — We do NOT accept lithium primary batteries.

Lithium primary batteries are non-rechargeable lithium batteries often used in digital cameras, smoke detectors, medical devices, and certain remote controls. They're typically labeled "Lithium" on the casing. Like rechargeable lithium-ion, they carry fire risks if damaged and require specialized recycling channels.

Alkaline Batteries

NO — We do NOT accept alkaline household batteries.

Alkaline batteries are the standard disposable AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V batteries you buy at the grocery store. While modern alkaline batteries no longer contain mercury and are considered safe for regular trash disposal in most states, recycling keeps the zinc and manganese inside out of the waste stream. We're not equipped to process them — please use a Call2Recycle drop-off or household hazardous waste facility.

Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) Batteries

NO — We do NOT accept nickel-cadmium batteries.

NiCd is an older rechargeable chemistry once common in cordless phones, older power tools, and rechargeable household batteries. Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal, which makes proper recycling especially important — NiCd batteries should never go in the trash. Drop them at Call2Recycle or your county hazardous waste facility.

Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) Batteries

NO — We do NOT accept nickel-metal hydride batteries.

NiMH batteries are the rechargeable AA and AAA cells often used in cameras, gaming controllers, and other household electronics. They were also used in many older hybrid vehicles. NiMH is less hazardous than NiCd or lithium, but still needs to go through a battery recycling program rather than our recycle center.

Button and Coin Cell Batteries

NO — We do NOT accept button or coin cell batteries.

The small round batteries used in watches, hearing aids, key fobs, car remotes, and small electronics often contain lithium, silver oxide, or other specialty materials. Take these to a Call2Recycle location or your county hazardous waste facility.

A Note on Electric Lawnmowers and Cordless Yard Tools

We accept electric lawnmowers, leaf blowers, weed eaters, and similar yard equipment for metal recycling — but only after the lithium battery pack has been removed. Take the battery pack to a lithium-battery recycling program (Call2Recycle, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.), then bring the tool itself to our recycle center, where the metal, plastic, and motor components can be properly recovered.

Visit Recycle Strong

Bring your automotive battery to our drop-off recycling center during business hours. Please call ahead if you have an unusually large quantity of auto batteries or questions about a specific item. For every battery we don't accept, Call2Recycle, your county hazardous waste facility, or a participating retailer is the right next stop — and a quick way to keep these materials safely out of landfills.

Address: 42396 Rio Nedo Rd, Temecula, CA 92590
Phone: (951) 406-4978
Hours:
Mon – Fri 8 AM to 5 PM
Sat 8 AM – 3 PM
Sunday - Closed