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Waste and compost · Live with it: use, dispose, record · waste-23

Dispose of hazardous waste: batteries, oils, chemicals, electronics and old PV panels

Hazardous items must leave the estate by legal routes. Never pour them on the ground, down drains or into a septic system, which they can damage.

How

  1. Lithium-ion batteries and electronics: never put them in trash or recycling bins, where they can start fires. Tape terminals, bag separately and take them to a battery or electronics recycler, a household hazardous waste site or a retailer take-back scheme. US example: EPA encourages using recyclers certified to the R2 or e-Stewards standards, which are checked by an accredited outside auditor; look for an equivalent scheme in your country.
  2. Large batteries (home energy storage, vehicles): contact the installer, dealer or manufacturer for take-back.
  3. Used motor oil: some garages accept it for recycling; ask your local agency.
  4. Paints, solvents, pesticides and cleaners: take them to a household hazardous waste collection site or event in original containers.
  5. Old PV panels: some contain enough lead to count as hazardous waste, and panels may contain lead, cadmium, silver, arsenic or selenium. Broken panels are a greater risk. Ask the installer or manufacturer about reuse or recycling; rules differ by country and region (US example: EPA is drafting universal waste rules for panels; Vermont exempts household panels from its hazardous waste rules but directs owners to local solid waste bodies).
  6. Keep receipts or notes of every drop-off in your waste log.

Safety: Never crush, puncture or burn lithium batteries.

Do these first

Sources

  1. Used Lithium-Ion Batteries. US Environmental Protection Agency, accessed 2026-11
  2. Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). US Environmental Protection Agency (archived snapshot), accessed 2026-11
  3. Improving Recycling and Management of Renewable Energy Wastes: Universal Waste Regulations for Solar Panels and Lithium Batteries. US Environmental Protection Agency, accessed 2026-11
  4. Solar Panels Fact Sheet (2024). Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, accessed 2026-11
  5. Certified Electronics Recyclers. US Environmental Protection Agency, accessed 2026-11

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