Lithium-Ion Battery Disposal
Rely on our end-to-end solution for lithium-battery disposal logistics and benefit from professional, compliant services around the disposal of lithium-ion batteries – such as the collection, packaging and carriage of lithium-ion batteries and cells.
That way you don’t have to worry about how to dispose of a lithium-ion battery correctly, or how to dispose of and transport lithium batteries compliantly. We take on the entire lithium-ion battery disposal for you – from the undamaged battery to the emergency after a fire.
How do you dispose of a lithium-ion battery?
Lithium-ion batteries and devices containing them must NOT go into general (household) waste or the recycling bin. They count as hazardous waste and, in transport, are classified as Class 9 dangerous goods.
Small household quantities belong at household waste recycling centres, battery collection points or in retail (producer take-back). Business quantities must be disposed of and documented through a registered waste carrier and permitted waste manager. To prevent fires, tape over the terminals and package damaged batteries individually.
Your battery disposal is no problem for us:
Phone: +49 7153 925080 | Email: info@logbatt.de
Why must lithium-ion batteries not go into general waste?
Because they can be damaged and catch fire during transport or in sorting facilities. Lithium is highly reactive: short circuits, high temperatures or mechanical stress trigger an exothermic reaction that can hardly be stopped – so-called thermal propagation. This is exactly how the fires arise that have repeatedly hit recycling and sorting facilities in recent years.
There is also the raw-material aspect: lithium-ion batteries contain lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphite – materials regarded as critical raw materials. If they end up in general waste, they are lost to the cycle for good. Through orderly disposal, on the other hand, they can be recovered and reused.
What duties do businesses have in battery disposal?
The waste producer – the business at which the waste batteries arise – is always responsible. This includes the correct classification of the waste, a risk assessment, compliant packaging and complete documentation under the Duty of Care (Environmental Protection Act 1990, s.34) and the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005. By instructing a registered waste carrier and permitted waste manager such as LogBATT, this responsibility is covered with legal certainty.
Classification under the List of Wastes (EWC codes)
In the UK the List of Wastes (European Waste Catalogue, EWC) is used. There is no lithium-specific code; whether a waste battery is hazardous is determined by assessment under the Environment Agency’s guidance WM3. Depending on the origin of the battery, different codes apply – the classification is made by the waste producer:
| EWC code | Description | Typical origin |
|---|---|---|
| 16 06 05 | Other batteries and accumulators (hazardous where assessed as such under WM3) | Lithium-ion batteries and accumulators in general |
| 16 01 21* | Hazardous components (end-of-life vehicles) | Traction and high-voltage batteries from vehicles |
| 16 02 15* | Hazardous components removed from discarded equipment | Batteries removed from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) |
LogBATT organises the collection and carriage of these wastes as a registered (upper-tier) waste carrier and authorised operator and works with Environment Agency-permitted recyclers; the exact EWC classification is made by the waste producer in each case.
Documentation of hazardous-waste movements
The movement of hazardous waste in the UK is documented under the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005:
- Hazardous waste consignment note: every movement of hazardous battery waste must be accompanied by a consignment note (not a standard waste transfer note), giving origin, destination, EWC code and quantity.
- Registered carrier and permitted sites: collection must be by a registered (upper-tier) waste carrier with the appropriate dangerous-goods authorisation; the receiving recycler must hold an Environment Agency environmental permit (and, for batteries, Approved Battery Treatment Operator status).
- Record keeping: consignment notes and recycling evidence must be retained for at least three years. From October 2026 the new Digital Waste Tracking service replaces paper consignment notes with mandatory digital records.
Other relevant rules
- Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009: govern producer take-back, labelling and recycling obligations in the UK. (The EU Batteries Regulation 2023/1542 applies in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework, but not in Great Britain.)
- Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013: relevant for batteries removed from electrical and electronic equipment.
- ADR / RID / IMDG / IATA-DGR: dangerous-goods law for transport – lithium batteries are Class 9 dangerous goods under UN 3480 or UN 3481. In Great Britain, ADR is applied to domestic carriage by the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (CDG 2009).
- ADR special provision SP 376: determines, based on the battery’s condition, the applicable packing instruction – from P903 for undamaged batteries to P911 / LP906 for critically defective batteries.
How battery disposal works with LogBATT
We take on the entire process – from the first classification to the finished disposal evidence:
- Risk analysis & classification: we assess the condition of the batteries (undamaged, damaged, critically defective) and from this determine the packaging, transport route and EWC code.
- Collection: we collect the batteries directly from you – across Europe, with our own fleet and through our network of authorised partners.
- ADR-compliant packaging: depending on the condition, we package in tested, BAM-approved SafetyBATTboxes – terminals isolated, damaged cells individually.
- Transport: dangerous-goods-compliant carriage to the recycling facility or the agreed destination, with all required waste documentation (consignment note).
- Handover & evidence: professional handover to permitted recovery operations, including complete documentation and traceability.
Do you need the containers only temporarily? Then our container hire is the right solution.
Battery disposal in an emergency
After a fire, an accident or a production incident, lithium batteries are as a rule considered critically defective – the most demanding category in dangerous-goods law. This is exactly what LogBATT is designed for: we handle the recovery, packaging, transport and disposal of burnt, damaged and critically defective batteries in an emergency across Europe, and have already carried out over 9,000 transports of critically defective batteries. For the packaging we provide the appropriate emergency and quarantine containers ourselves – the SafetyBATTbox (also called an emergency box, quarantine box or fire-protection container).
After a warehouse fire, lorry fire or vehicle fire
Batteries that have been exposed to a fire are critical even when they appear externally intact: cell damage can still lead to a renewed thermal runaway hours or days later. They must therefore not be carried in standard packaging.
For such transports, ADR special provision SP 376 requires an approval from the competent authority. LogBATT holds the corresponding BAM design-type approval under P911/LP906 –recognised in Great Britain through the mutual recognition between ADR contracting parties– and can carry batteries in this condition with legal certainty.
- Recovery & initial securing on site, including an assessment of the hazard potential
- Packaging to P911 / LP906 in UN-certified, BAM-design-type-approved containers with gas management and thermal insulation
- Quarantine storage, if the battery needs to be observed before onward transport
- Removal and disposal via permitted recovery routes, with complete documentation
Batteries in a water bath and contaminated firewater
If a burning lithium battery is cooled with water or placed in a water bath, a second disposal problem arises: the firewater itself counts as hazardous waste. It contains fluorides and heavy metals such as cobalt, nickel and manganese – in concentrations that far exceed discharge limits for the sewer. Trade publications cite magnitudes of around 20 m³ of contaminated water per cooled vehicle.
Firewater must therefore neither soak away nor enter the sewer, but must be collected, stored on an interim basis and disposed of separately. We coordinate both from a single source: the battery itself and the contaminated water – so you don’t have to manage two service providers in parallel.
Accident vehicles and recall campaigns
After a road accident, the high-voltage battery of an electric vehicle is regularly the critical factor – for the workshop, the recovery service and the insurer alike. We collect affected batteries directly from the workshop, dealership or storage site and route them to disposal. For the insurance sector we offer our own system solutions, including a Europe-wide workshop network.
An emergency? We are at your service across Europe:
Phone: +49 7153 925080 | Email: info@logbatt.de
How to recognise a suitable disposal partner
The disposal of lithium batteries is a permitted activity – not every operator may take it on. These six points can be checked concretely before instructing a partner:
- Waste registration and permits: is there a valid registration as an (upper-tier) waste carrier and a permit as a waste manager? These are a prerequisite for handling hazardous waste.
- Scope of authorisation: are there permits for the collection, carriage and treatment of hazardous waste – and for which EWC codes specifically?
- Condition coverage: are damaged and critically defective batteries accepted too, or does the offer end at undamaged goods? Critically defective batteries require a P911/LP906 approval.
- Own packaging and fleet: are design-type-approved containers and ADR-compliant vehicles available, or is both bought in?
- Documentation: are the consignment notes and traceability taken on in full?
- Reach and response time: is the partner available at your sites – and, in an emergency, at short notice?
LogBATT meets all six points: we act as a registered waste carrier and authorised operator, have our own containers developed and produced in-house with BAM design-type approval (P911/LP906) recognised in Great Britain, also cover damaged and critically defective batteries, and are in service across Europe. As part of the Lagermax Group, we combine container, ADR-compliant transport and waste documentation from a single source.
Why is the disposal of lithium batteries so demanding?
There are essentially three reasons:
- Batteries are often firmly integrated into the electronics and can only be removed with difficulty without damage.
- During dismantling, cells can easily be damaged – professional separation requires special tools, procedures and checks.
- Through the exothermic reaction, damaged cells can swell and catch fire at high temperatures. High-capacity batteries are discharged beforehand to reduce this risk.
What you should avoid in battery disposal
You do not dispose of a lithium-ion battery with normal waste. Do not crush or puncture batteries and avoid anything that could bring the electrodes into contact and cause a short circuit.
Never package damaged and undamaged batteries together, tape over the terminals and do not store discarded batteries in large numbers or indoors – this considerably increases the fire risk. Suitable storage containers provide a remedy here.
Lithium-ion battery disposal – professional with LogBATT
Leave the entire disposal to us: collection, storage, packaging, carriage and the transfer of your lithium-ion batteries to the recycling facility. We are a registered waste carrier and authorised operator, have carried out over 9,000 transports of critically defective batteries and offer a Europe-wide logistics and battery-disposal network. Since mid-2023 we have been part of the Lagermax Group.
Related topics: transport crates for lithium-ion batteries · storage containers · container hire
FAQ – Frequently asked questions about lithium-ion battery disposal
Where do I dispose of lithium-ion batteries and cells?
Small household quantities can be taken to household waste recycling centres, battery collection points, electrical retailers or the collection points of the producer take-back schemes. Business quantities must be disposed of and documented through a registered waste carrier and permitted waste manager – LogBATT collects these directly from you and handles the entire process.
How do you dispose of lithium-ion batteries correctly?
First a risk analysis and the classification of the battery’s condition are required, then ADR-compliant and, depending on the hazard potential, explosion-safe packaging. The batteries should be discharged as far as possible, the terminals taped over and damaged cells packaged individually. LogBATT takes on collection, packaging, carriage and transfer to the recycling facility as a complete package.
Why must lithium-ion batteries not go into general waste?
In general or recycling waste they can be damaged during transport or in sorting facilities and catch fire. Valuable critical raw materials such as lithium, cobalt and graphite are also lost. For safety and environmental reasons they must be disposed of through specialised operators such as LogBATT.
What duties do businesses have in battery disposal?
The waste producer – the business – is responsible in principle. Duties include classification of the waste, a risk assessment, correct packaging and complete documentation under the Duty of Care (Environmental Protection Act 1990, s.34) and the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005. By instructing a registered waste carrier and permitted waste manager such as LogBATT, this responsibility is covered with legal certainty.
Under which EWC code are lithium-ion batteries classified in the UK?
In the UK the List of Wastes (European Waste Catalogue, EWC) is used; there is no lithium-specific code. Batteries are generally coded 16 06 05, with hazard status determined by assessment under the Environment Agency’s WM3 guidance. Depending on the origin, 16 01 21* for batteries from vehicles or 16 02 15* for batteries removed from electrical equipment may apply. The classification is made by the waste producer; LogBATT organises collection and carriage as a registered waste carrier and authorised operator.
What waste documentation do businesses need?
The movement of hazardous waste is documented under the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 by means of a hazardous waste consignment note that accompanies each movement. Consignment notes and recycling evidence must be retained for at least three years. From October 2026 the new Digital Waste Tracking service replaces paper consignment notes with mandatory digital records.
Are lithium-ion batteries hazardous waste or dangerous goods?
Yes. They count as hazardous waste (subject to assessment under WM3) and, in transport, are classified as Class 9 dangerous goods (UN 3480 or UN 3481). They must not go into general waste and must be disposed of and transported by authorised routes.
How are batteries disposed of after a fire?
Batteries that have been exposed to a fire are as a rule considered critically defective – also when they appear externally undamaged, because a renewed thermal runaway can occur days later. The transport requires, under ADR special provision SP 376, an approval from the competent authority and packaging to P911 or LP906. LogBATT holds the corresponding BAM design-type approval and takes on the recovery, packaging, transport and disposal.
Who disposes of lithium batteries after a warehouse fire or lorry fire?
For batteries from warehouse, vehicle or lorry fires an operator is required that may carry critically defective batteries. LogBATT is specialised in this, is in service across Europe and has carried out over 9,000 transports of critically defective batteries. On request we also take on the interim storage in quarantine containers until removal.
How is contaminated firewater from battery fires disposed of?
Firewater from lithium-battery fires – for example when a battery is cooled or placed in a water bath – counts as hazardous waste itself: it contains fluorides and heavy metals such as cobalt, nickel and manganese in concentrations that far exceed discharge limits. It must neither soak away nor enter the sewer, but must be collected, stored on an interim basis and disposed of separately. LogBATT disposes of the battery from the water bath and the contaminated water from a single source.
How are defective and critically defective batteries disposed of?
They require special safety precautions, as they can react thermally. LogBATT disposes of and transports them in in-house-developed, BAM-design-type-approved SafetyBATTboxes with gas management and thermal insulation – approved up to packing instruction P911 or LP906.
Where can I have a defective battery disposed of after an accident?
After an accident, LogBATT collects the damaged traction batteries directly from the workshop, dealership, recovery service or storage site, packages them ADR-compliantly and routes them to disposal. For insurers and workshop networks we offer our own system solutions.
Does LogBATT handle the collection of the batteries?
Yes. LogBATT collects the lithium-ion batteries directly from the business, packages them ADR-compliantly, carries them and transfers them to the recycling facility or destination – through a Europe-wide logistics and battery-disposal network with its own fleet.
Who may dispose of lithium-ion batteries commercially?
The commercial disposal of lithium-ion batteries as hazardous waste is a permitted activity. LogBATT acts as a registered waste carrier and authorised operator and holds the authorisations for the collection and carriage of hazardous waste – businesses can thus transfer the disposal with legal certainty.
What happens to lithium-ion batteries after disposal?
After collection, the batteries are sorted and – as far as possible – dismantled into their components and recovered. This allows critical raw materials such as lithium, cobalt and graphite to be recovered. LogBATT ensures the professional transfer to the recycling facility.
How do you dispose of swollen lithium-ion batteries?
Swollen batteries count as damaged and should only be disposed of by authorised waste-management companies, in order to avoid hazards from damage or increased internal pressure. They must be packaged individually and in tested containers.
Further official information: GOV.UK – Dispose of hazardous waste · Environment Agency · HSE – Health and Safety Executive · BAM – Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing