Facts. Not Fiction: Where Do Your Batteries Actually Go?
“It’s just a battery. Toss it in the garbage.”
It’s a small thing. A dead AA from the remote. A button battery from a toy. An old rechargeable battery pack sitting in a junk drawer.
But batteries aren’t regular garbage - and they aren’t accepted in Whitby’s Blue Box recycling program either.
There’s a reason they have their own collection process.
Batteries and fire safety
And there’s another reason to pay attention to what we do with them: battery safety is also fire safety.
Lithium-ion batteries power many of the devices we use every day, from phones and laptops to power tools, toys and e-bikes. Health Canada notes that these batteries can overheat, catch fire or explode if they’re damaged or improperly used, charged, stored or disposed of.
That makes battery safety about more than recycling. How we use, charge, store and dispose of batteries all matters.
So, where do they go?
In Whitby, household batteries have their own curbside collection program, which runs twice a year. The next collection is October 5–9, 2026.
Residents can prepare their household batteries for collection and place them in a clear, sealed zipper-style bag on top of their Green Bin on their designated collection day. There are also specific safety requirements for certain battery types.
Watch this video to learn more
And if you miss collection?
You don’t have to wait until the next curbside collection.
Whitby has battery recycling bins available year-round at several Town facilities, including Town Hall, Whitby Central Library, the 55+ Recreation Centre, Brooklin Community Centre and Library, and Iroquois Park Sports Centre and at all Town Fire Halls.
Automotive batteries, damaged or leaking batteries and industrial batteries are handled differently and should not be placed out for curbside collection.
It’s a little thing that matters.
One battery might not seem like much. But when thousands of households have that same dead battery sitting in a drawer, those little things add up.
Knowing what goes where helps keep batteries out of the wrong waste stream and ensures they can be handled through the appropriate recycling and disposal process.
So, when you find that little pile of dead batteries hiding in the junk drawer, don’t toss them in the garbage. Know before you throw.
Knowing how the system actually works beats the comments section. Every. Time.
🟦 Share facts. Not fiction. Straight from the source.
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Want to learn more about fire safety?
Visit Whitby Fire and Emergency Services’ Fire Safety information.
Fire Prevention Week is October 4 – 10 – Learn More
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