How to Dispose Of Your Car Battery

A step-by-step guide to correctly disposing of your old car battery

You might think your car runs solely on fuel like petrol or diesel (unless, of course, you have an electric vehicle), but without your car battery, you wouldn’t be able to start the engine in the first place.

Batteries are an essential part of keeping you on the road, and much has been written on how to install and maintain them. However, when it comes to car battery disposal, few drivers know what the protocol is. 

Wondering, “where do I get rid of my car battery?”. Read on to find out how to safely and responsibly recycle your car battery when it has reached the end of its life.

Why is safe car battery disposal necessary?

All batteries, from the one in your car to the ones in your smartphone, are classed as hazardous waste. This is because they contain corrosive chemicals like sulphuric acid, which is needed to produce electrical energy when it reacts with lead and lead dioxide.

Each year, 4.5 million tonnes of lead go into the production of lead-acid batteries like the one found in your car, and 97% of that can be recycled. 

If not disposed of in the correct manner, these toxic chemicals can leak from the battery and contaminate the surrounding area, such as soil and water sources, which can have a negative effect on both plant life and wildlife. 

Is it illegal to throw out car batteries?

Yes, it’s illegal to throw out your car battery in the general household waste. Since batteries are classified as hazardous waste, they cannot be sent to landfill or incinerated like regular rubbish under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009.

Where do I get rid of my car battery?

Your car battery can be disposed of at many scrap metal facilities, recycling centres, and garages. If you live in England or Wales, you can visit the GOV.UK website and enter your postcode to find your nearest local hazardous waste disposal service where you can dispose of your battery. 

However, it’s easiest to visit your local Kwik Fit and have our experts deal with your battery for you. 

Kwik Fit’s car battery disposal schemes

We provide a ‘cradle to grave’ solution for our customers. Not only do we supply the latest AGM start-stop batteries, specifically designed to reduce the vehicle’s carbon footprint and CO2 emissions, but we also focus on recovering the old ‘scrap’ battery and recycling it. 

Kwik Fit works in partnership with Platinum International who's legally compliant, environmentally friendly ECO-life scheme is helping us to recycle all the old batteries that come into our centre.

Safety tips for handling car batteries 

If handling your car’s battery for whatever reason, there are plenty of precautions you should take to make sure you’re staying safe, these include: 

• Always disconnect the battery before inspecting it.
• Wear protective clothing (like gloves) to inspect, change, and transport your battery as battery acid can burn skin.
• If moving your battery, be sure to thoroughly inspect it first for any dents or leaks. If this is the case, call in an expert like Kwik Fit who can handle hazardous substances.
• Keep your car’s battery upright at all times.

Buy car batteries from Kwik Fit

If you are looking for a new battery, Kwik Fit stocks batteries for most makes and models - and we’ll dispose of your old scrap battery safely and responsibly too, so, there’s no need to worry about taking it to your local recycling centre.

If you are having battery health problems, book in for a free battery health check at Kwik Fit. In the meantime, you can find out how to make your batteries last longer in our handy guide to battery care.