ERG Helps EPA Develop Battery Collection Best Practices

batteries in a bowl

ERG is proud to support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in developing resources to help improve battery collection, recycling, and safety.  

Batteries can start fires when they are not handled properly—for example, when they are thrown in the trash or curbside recycling bin—endangering workers and communities. Additionally, when batteries are placed in the trash or curbside recycling, the critical materials in them cannot be recycled into new batteries.  

To support EPA in gathering insight on battery collection best practices and topics for resource development, ERG: 

  • Coordinated over 20 virtual and in-person working sessions with industry professionals and state, territorial, Tribal, local, and federal governments. During these engagements, which reached 5,000 participants from 51 U.S. states and territories, participants and speakers shared the battery collection and recycling challenges and solutions in their communities.  

  • Used feedback from the working sessions to help develop the online Battery Collection Best Practices Toolkit, a filterable repository of resources that supports communities implementing battery collection programs. ERG created case studies, how-to guides, tip sheets, and decision trees that span battery chemistries, uses, geographic contexts, and collection scenarios. The toolkit also provides links to additional tools and resources.  

  • Developed a case study and comprehensive tip sheet that helps retailers identify applicable state and local e-cigarette disposal requirements and step-by-step guidance for establishing collection sites and safely handling, storing, and disposing of e-cigarettes.  

  • Provided technical writing support for the Battery Collection Best Practices report, which EPA recently released to Congress. The report details best practices for collecting different types of batteries and provides guidance on communication, collection site design, and transportation.  

ERG has partnered with EPA since 2022 to develop resources that help states, Tribes, and local governments establish safe and effective battery collection programs and better understand battery collection and recycling best practices.  

“Batteries are a charged topic–in more ways than one! We’re proud to support EPA in delivering practical tools that help communities safely collect batteries and advance a circular economy for the critical minerals they contain,” said ERG Program Manager Alexandra Phillips.  

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