Does your office have batteries to recycle? Check our battery recycling Q-and-A
Olivia Herron, director of sustainability, answers some common questions about recycling batteries on campus
Does your office have batteries to recycle? Check our battery recycling Q-and-A
Where are some of the most-used battery collection bins located?
Public-facing spaces including Armstrong Student Center and the Rec are popular locations for dropping off batteries if your building does not have a collection bin. Shideler Hall also collects a large number of batteries, possibly because faculty in that space are especially keen to recycle.
Can my office/building request a battery collection bin?
Yes! If your building does not have a battery collection bin, you can request one by emailing me at herronol@miamioh.edu. We do limit one bin per building so check if another department is already collecting batteries.
What types of batteries do you collect for recycling?
Any type of battery, but we do not collect electronic devices containing batteries. For example, you cannot drop off an entire laptop or camera. You would need to remove the battery.
Do you collect hearing aid batteries (and is there a bin in the Speech and Hearing Clinic)?
Yes! We refer to them as “button batteries” also used in small electronics. There is not a bin in the Clinical Health Sciences and Wellness building.
If my office bin is full and needs collecting, who do we contact?
Please contact me, and a student intern will collect your batteries. Generally, we empty bins once per semester; however, your office may have a collection that we’re not aware of. If your bin hasn’t been emptied recently, please reach out.
How many pounds of batteries are typically collected and sent for recycling each semester?
In 2024, we recycled nearly 4,000 pounds of residential-type batteries (AA, AAA alkaline or lithium) and an additional 3,000 pounds of large wet and gel lead acid batteries.
What about specialty battery recycling?
Research labs using large batteries are also collected upon request. Physical facilities recycles all large batteries used in operations, including those for vehicles, emergency lights, etc.
Physical facilities also recycles light bulbs as part of this service with Cleanlites Recycling: Last year we recycled about 2,000 individual fluorescent and mercury lamps (aka long light bulbs).
