The City of Seattle in Washington State, U.S.A., has announced a novel way of collecting spent batteries for recycling. On November 15, 2025, they revealed their ‘special pickup collection’ service will extend to one spent bag of batteries a year, effective from April 2026 onward.
Collecting Spent Batteries For Free Once a Year
Seattle public utility customers can currently arrange pickups for spent batteries, small electronics, mattresses, and appliances a spokesperson explains. But this service is currently only available for a small fee. Whereas from April 2026 onward, customers can request one free pickup of batteries a year.
“We hope this new solution will keep toxic and potentially dangerous batteries out of the city’s landfills,” a spokesperson explains. However, of necessity this simpler, safer and more convenient method for collecting spent batteries in Seattle is not open-ended:
- Seattle customers may arrange one free collection a year of a two-cubic-foot box (or smaller).
- These customers may add ‘one bag of household batteries’ of unspecified size to the collection.
“Properly disposing of these materials will help prevent transfer station fires caused by batteries, and divert them from the landfill,” the spokesperson adds. We understand the free collection service will expand to include one larger, bulkier item in 2027.
Two Earlier Incidents Inspired Seattle’s New Policy
Incidents in June 2024 may have caused the Seattle public utility to adapt its garbage collection policy. These followed a wind and rain storm that knocked out power to thousands of citizens, followed by several dumpster fires that left garbage smoldering on street corners.
The immediate reaction was to blame these incidents on “discarded smoking materials”. Although one witness reported seeing a lithium-ion laptop battery in a fire. These incidents were the culmination of 79 lithium-ion battery fires the City attended to, in the previous two years.
These incidents often involved scooters and portable devices all of which contained batteries. We hope Seattle citizens heed the call and take up the offer. That way, their city will be safer, and their battery materials should obtain second lives.
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