Be Sure to Properly Dispose of Batteries This Holiday Season

This holiday season, 39 San Gabriel Valley businesses will participate in a local pilot project with the aim of making battery recycling easier.

More batteries are used this time of year to power up toys and other gifts, and are often illegally disposed (since 2006, the state has banned the disposal of batteries in the trash due to their corrosive properties and because some contain heavy metals). AAA through D size alkaline batteries will be accepted at the recycling locations, as long as they under are 11 pounds.

“The holidays result in a purge of old electronics, many of which contain batteries,” said Heidi Sanborn, executive director of the California Product Stewardship Council. "We hope that for every new battery purchased in the San Gabriel Valley that a used one is recycled. We want consumers to enjoy their new smart phone or digital camera, but also to be cognizant of the impacts of battery waste and remember to remove and recycle the batteries from their old gadgets.” 

The closest recycling location to Diamond Bar is the Mattel Toy Store in Pomona.

“Batteries are a huge holiday sales item,” said Cathy Lions, manager of the store. “It is important to us that the batteries make their way back to be recycled. We encourage our customers to be conscious of the environment as they make purchases.”

For a map of recycling locations, click here.