Environmental Health and Safety
Campus Battery Recycling
Batteries are used for a wide range of purposes throughout the campus (scientific and industrial instruments, laptops, cordless tools, vehicles, emergency lighting, backup power supplies, mp3 players, cameras, cell phones, etc.) Most batteries (especially rechargeable batteries) contain a variety of hazardous materials which must be disposed of/recycled appropriately and not sent to the landfill. All batteries collected from the campus are recycled responsibly per Department of Ecology and EPA standards. Virtually all types of batteries (lead-acid, sealed lead, gel cell, button cell, Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, Li-ion, alkaline, zinc-carbon, Ni-Zn, lithium, etc.) are accepted. It is recommended that spent automotive/motorcycle battery cores be returned to the retailer when purchasing a new battery. Excluding returned cores, CWU recycles over 3000 pounds of batteries per year.
There are a number of campus locations where you can drop off batteries with labeled receptacles.
Departments may also accumulate batteries at their location and contact Facilities at 3000 or submit a work order to arrange for a pick-up when needed.
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