Safe battery handling and disposal is becoming a huge issue for many of us as Australia’s appetite for portable devices soars.

Lithium-ion batteries can be found in all kinds of devices today from toothbrushes to phones to e-bikes.

We’ve all got a few old devices laying around with aging batteries that can become swollen with time.

That’s why it’s so important to talk about how to safely handle and dispose of old devices with lithium-ion battery packs.

Swollen batteries – what you need to know

Why do batteries become swollen over time?

Battery packs can swell up due to buildup of gas inside the battery pack. Usually this is due to chemical breakdown or physical damage, but it can simply happen over time to some batteries.

Other reasons are overcharging from faulty circuitry or overheating from high temperatures. Physical damage like puncture or crushing can sometimes cause swelling as well.

When the battery becomes swollen, the device they’re in can become physically damaged, the battery can become harder or impossible to remove, and they become more prone to damage.

What are the key signs of battery swelling?

If you have a device that has physical gaps opening in the casing where they weren’t before, if buttons become harder to press, or there’s an obvious curve on the surface of the device, it’s possible the internal battery has swollen.

What are the dangers to be aware of?

Swollen batteries can pose serious danger. These batteries can short circuit, leading to sudden heat spiking, and can even cause fires or explosions in extreme cases.

A Fire Rescue Victoria spokesperson said FRV firefighters respond to almost one fire every day caused by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The reasons they can catch fire are overcharging, overheating, physical damage, or malfunction.

“Swollen batteries are a serious safety risk and should be treated as dangerous,” said Alexandra Geddes, New South Wales Environment Protection Authority Executive Director, Programs and Innovation. “Swelling is a clear sign a battery is failing and lithium ion batteries can overheat, enter thermal runaway and catch fire without warning. Fire and Rescue NSW has responded to more than 280 lithium ion battery related incidents throughout 2025, with damaged batteries as a common cause.”

“If you find a device with a swollen battery, do not use it, charge it, or put it in any household bin. Store it temporarily in a cool, well ventilated place, away from heat and flammable materials, ideally in a non flammable container, and arrange safe disposal as soon as possible.”

Queensland Fire Department advises the risks of damaged lithium-ion batteries include electric shock, secondary fire risk, and exposure to toxic or corrosive vapours and substances.

Safe usage, storage and transport

When storing and transporting used batteries, you may want to consider some safety precautions.

• Wear gloves and protective clothing and equipment when handling damaged batteries or devices.
• If possible, tape over the terminals to prevent contact and sparking.
• Store damaged batteries outdoors in a fire-resistant container or at least 10 metres away from other dangerous goods or flammable materials.
• Keep batteries out of the reach of children.
• Charge reusable batteries with reputable chargers and cables.
• Where possible, remove batteries before disposal and recycle.

If transporting a swollen or damaged battery, ensure that the battery package is not at risk of further damage, puncture, or heat fluctuations.

Queensland Fire Department advises that lithium-ion batteries may be de-energised before disposal by placing them in a large bucket filled with 10 litres of water with 1 cup of dissolved table salt for 48 hours. The Department reminds the public only to do so outdoors in a well-ventilated area and only when safe to do so.

The Australian Code for Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road & Rail Edition 7.9, 2024 is overkill for most public use, but the document advises precautions like packing devices in a sealed bag or container, using a non-combustible insulation where necessary, and labelling the packaging as damaged or defective so that anyone processing the material knows what to expect.

Australia-Wide Battery Disposal Guidelines

The most important guideline to remember is to never put batteries into kerbside bins or general waste. When general waste is compressed and crushed in garbage collection trucks, batteries can spark and cause fires.

Intact batteries are quite simple to deal with. B-Cycle is the national product stewardship scheme for battery recycling which partners with a wide range of organisations around Australia to provide battery recycling points to the public.

If you’re looking to dispose of a mobile phone, Mobile Muster is the go-to national body to ensure it gets safely recycled.

Aldi, Battery World, Bunnings, Coles, Woolworths, Officeworks and JB Hi-Fi are just a few stores that offer battery recycling at most or all of their locations nationwide.

However, it’s not so easy to safely (and legally) dispose of damaged batteries or devices with damaged batteries. For swollen embedded batteries, it’s safest to get rid of them as soon as possible before the battery can age further.

General Advice For Damaged Embedded Batteries

Each of the over 500 councils around Australia has their own rules on how battery disposal works, but in general most councils advise the public to take batteries and embedded battery devices to the local resource recovery centre – the tip.

There, in the e-waste section, tips that accept hazardous waste and e-waste have a battery disposal container where you can drop off an item to be safely processed.

The Recycle Mate website is a handy tool for finding a nearby location for dropping off your e-waste.

All of the most populated councils allow recycling of e-waste for free to help keep as many batteries as possible out of landfill.

State-Specific Advice

Where possible, I emailed every state’s Environment Protection Authority to get comment on how safe battery disposal works in each state. Unfortunately, not all of them got back to me – only EPA South Australia, EPA New South Wales, and DETSI Queensland returned with comment.

Queensland Fire Department, Fire and Rescue New South Wales, and Fire Rescue Victoria were all instrumental in assisting with my research.

I’ll update this article if and when I receive more information on the subject matter.

Australian Capital Territory

Our nation’s capital has straightforward guidelines on how to dispose of batteries.

The ACT guidelines for household batteries say to drop them off at accredited B-Cycle drop-off locations. This includes AAA, AA, C, D, 9V, and button batteries. Removeable rechargeable batteries like tool batteries and digital camera batteries can also be dropped off at these locations.

Embedded batteries like those found in phones, tablets, wireless headphones, and the like are to be disposed of in the hazardous waste or e-waste areas in ACT Government Resource Management Centres. This includes swollen or damaged batteries.

New South Wales

New South Wales has quite complex rules for battery disposal and recycling. In my research I found no specific advice for dealing with damaged embedded batteries – this is best handled on a case by case basis with your local council or resource recovery centre.

In New South Wales, intact battery disposal is handled by B-cycle locations. This includes AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, 6V, and lantern batteries, as well as button batteries, handheld rechargeable batteries, and removeable batteries like those for tools and digital cameras.

Services NSW advises that if you have more than a kilogram of batteries to dispose of, you may want to call ahead to see if the drop-off location can accept this amount.

Products with built-in batteries or embedded batteries are more difficult to dispose of. The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority is running a trial in partnership with local councils to accept products with embedded batteries at select Community Recycling Centre locations.

Devices accepted at these locations include battery powered speakers and headphones, electric toothbrushes, e-bikes and e-scooters, portable battery banks, vacuum cleaners, vapes, and wearables.

For a complete list of these locations, check the NSW EPA page here.

Mobile phones are best directed to a Mobile Muster collection point. This scheme handles collection and recycling of old and broken phones, chargers, and accessories.

The key takeaway is that just one battery can spark a fire – that’s why the NSW Environment Protection Authority has launched a new statewide phase of the Never Bin A Battery campaign and expanded its locations that accept embedded battery devices.

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory advises the public to dispose of intact batteries at the many recycling drop-off points. NT Police, Fire, and Emergency Services recommend taping over battery terminals before placing them into collection bins.

Drop-off points around the Territory include B-cycle, Planet Ark, and Mobile Muster.

Batteries that show signs of damage like swelling, bulging, leaking, cracks, dents, and punctures can be very dangerous and should be disposed of with care. Luckily, the Northern Territory provides specific advice for these items.

The Territory recommends placing damaged or leaking batteries into a clear plastic bag and taking them to a Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority location for disposal.

A complete list of NTEPA collection depots is available here.

Queensland

The Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation advised Queenslanders to use local council battery disposal locations and to never dispose of them in kerbside bins.

“People are encouraged to safely dispose of lithium-ion batteries, and to handle any potentially damaged batteries with care prior to disposal,” said a DETSI spokesperson.

“To make safe battery disposal easier than ever, we recently funded 14 councils across Queensland to deliver more than 100 new battery disposal locations.”

To find your nearest collection point for removeable batteries, use the free recycling intiative RecycleMate, or get in contact with your local council.

Meanwhile, embedded and damaged batteries are best disposed of directly at a resource recovery centre where they can be safely dealt with. There are four locations in Brisbane City Council for disposing of damaged batteries including Nudgee, Ferny Grove, Chandler, and Willawong recovery centres.

Outside of Brisbane City Council limits, it’s best to check with your local council for advice – but generally it involves taking your batteries to the tip for e-waste handling. This is the case for the Sunshine Coast councils.

Cairns uses the national Mobile Muster network for mobile phone recycling, and local council waste recovery centres for other batteries.

Gold Coast offers a range of local battery recycling services including lithium-ion and automotive battery recycling. Otherwise, damaged embedded battery devices are best dealt with at your local tip.

South Australia

South Australia’s Which Bin service advises never to place any type of battery in a kerbside bin. Batteries can produce sparks during transport or processing that may start a fire in collection trucks or at the recovery facility.

Intact AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, and 6V batteries as well as tool, camera, e-bike and button batteries can be dropped off at B-cycle locations.

Intact embedded batteries can be disposed of at Aldi, Coles, IGA, Woolworths, Bunnings, Good Guys, and JB Hi-Fi locations.

Green Industries SA in tandem with the South Australian Government has established four new collection points to safely manage battery disposal of embedded batteries. The department explicitly accepts embedded battery products.

Collection points are available at Campbelltown Works, Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre (North Plympton), Heathfield Resource Recovery Centre, and NAWMA Resource Recovery Centre (Edinburgh North).

Each of these locations accepts embedded batteries in devices like Bluetooth speakers and headphones, e-scooters, e-bikes, electric toothbrushes, vacuum cleaners, and wearables.

I am awaiting comment from a Green Industries SA spokesperson on the matter and will update the article when I receive it.

Tasmania

Tasmania’s drop-off network relies on B-cycle and Mobile Muster locations.

For damaged batteries, it’s best to contact your local council as guidance varies heavily between different regions. However, the state generally treats embedded battery devices as e-waste, so your local tip is probably the first best bet for damaged embedded batteries.

Hobart directs residents to the South Hobart Tip as the best location for dealing with damaged batteries.

Launceston guidance directs residents to the Launceston Waste Centre in Mowbray.

Huon Valley Council explicitly treats embedded battery devices as e-waste, accepting mobile phones at all locations. Tablets and laptops with embedded batteries are only accepted at the Southbridge location.

Victoria

Victoria’s advice on the matter mirrors the other states – never put a battery in a kerbside bin.

Residents can use the interactive Recycle Mate website to find drop-off locations for used batteries and e-waste in your area.

In general, local tips in Victoria are able to accept damaged and intact embedded batteries for safe disposal.

City of Melbourne offers drop-off locations for small e-waste including phones and laptops with embedded batteries.

Mornington Peninsula Shire explicitly accepts all e-waste at the Tyabb, Mornington and Rye resource recovery centres.

The City of Greater Geelong accepts small e-waste including items like mobile phones, vapes, and computer items at the Drysdale resource recovery centre.

Late last year the state opened the first battery recycling plant in Australia, helping to divert up to 8000 tonnes of embedded batteries from landfill per year, returning resources to the local circular economy.

Western Australia

The Western Australian government relies on the private sector to handle e-waste recycling. Intact devices and batteries can be disposed of at B-cycle bins at most shopping centres.

Recycle Right is the best resource to find a drop off location for your batteries.

The Western Australian Local Government Association advises you can dispose of damaged batteries for free at any of the 15 Household Hazardous Waste facilities in the state. A complete list is available here.

However, it’s best to check with the collection facility ahead of time if you’re disposing of a damaged embedded battery.

Unfortunately I didn’t receive a response from EPA WA about this enquiry and the WALGA Hazardous Household Waste program website says the program doesn’t accept embedded batteries – but there doesn’t seem to be a better option for these devices.