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Battery Recycling · Denver, CO

Alkaline Battery Recycling in Denver

Before you go

Single-use alkaline is a different stream from rechargeable, and the local rule varies more than people expect.

  1. Check whether the site takes single-use at all

    Many retail drop-off boxes are funded for rechargeable batteries only and will turn away a bag of AAs. Municipal household hazardous waste programs take both.

  2. Tape the 9V terminals specifically

    Both posts sit next to each other on the same face, which makes a 9V the easiest battery to short against a set of keys or another battery.

  3. Check your own state's rule before assuming the trash is fine

    US alkaline batteries have had no intentionally added mercury since 1996, though button cells are exempt from that rule and still contain some. In much of the country household quantities of AA-to-D are legal in the trash; several states route them to collection anyway. Your municipal program page is the authority, not a national article.

  4. Keep chemistries separated

    Alkaline, lithium, NiMH, and button cells go to different processors. One labelled bag per type saves someone sorting it by hand.

  5. Bag anything corroded

    The electrolyte inside is potassium hydroxide; the white crust you can see is what it turns into in air. Either way it's caustic, it will irritate skin, and it shouldn't go loose in a pocket. Bag it and wash your hands.

Compare options

Alkaline Battery Recycling in Denver

0 free · 3 fee-based

Facility Cost Open now Notes
Best Buy Free for most
TVs under 50" $30		 Hours not published Walk-in Convenient walk-in locations across the Denver metro.
Rooney Road Recycling Center(303) 269-9448 Depends on the item
Electronics: per-item fee. HHW: $0-$3 per item		 Wed & Sat 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM (by appointment) Appointment Award-winning HHW facility owned by Jefferson County coalition.
Batteries + Bulbs(303) 282-3913 Depends on the item
small fee for some types		 Mon-Sat 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Sun 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Walk-in Nation's largest battery retailer. Wide range of battery chemistries accepted.

How it works in Denver

Modern alkalines (post-1996, no added mercury) are legal in Denver trash, but most metro residents prefer recycling. Batteries Plus and some municipal drop-offs accept alkalines (usually for a small per-pound fee). Rooney Road and Veolia accept them as HHW. Don't confuse with rechargeables — alkalines are NOT covered by Call2Recycle's free program.

Local rules

  • Colorado SB25-163 Battery Stewardship Act (signed June 4, 2025): producers must join a battery stewardship organization beginning Aug 1, 2027; landfill disposal of covered batteries prohibited starting Jan 1, 2030.
  • Colorado SB26-003 (2026 session): creates the first state-level EV propulsion-battery stewardship framework in the US — CDPHE will certify qualified recyclers by July 2027, with mandatory producer-funded collection starting Aug 1, 2028.

Denver County (HHW via Jefferson County / Rooney Road) household hazardous waste

Rooney Road Recycling Center (Jefferson County)

Jefferson County residents. Wed & Sat by appointment. Paint and motor oil free; per-item HHW fee.

(303) 269-9448 Official program page (opens in a new tab)

13 more Denver rules, not specific to this item
  • Colorado Electronic Recycling Jobs Act (SB12-133), effective July 1, 2013: landfill ban on TVs, computers, monitors, printers, copiers, fax machines, laptops, tablets, DVD players, VCRs, radios, and video game consoles. Landfills, transfer stations and haulers must post conspicuous notice.
  • Colorado Architectural Paint Stewardship Act: PaintCare program operational in Colorado since July 2015. Fee added to new paint at retail funds free statewide collection of latex, oil-based, stains, varnish.
  • Colorado HB22-1355 Producer Responsibility Program for Statewide Recycling (signed June 3, 2022): EPR for packaging and paper. Circular Action Alliance is the PRO; producers had to register by Oct 1, 2024. Free residential packaging recycling rolling out statewide by mid-2026.
  • Denver Pay-As-You-Throw ordinance (in effect since Jan 2023): volume-based trash pricing ($9.75/35-gal, $13.75/65-gal, $21.75/95-gal monthly), with weekly recycling and weekly compost included at no extra charge.
  • Denver 'Waste No More' ordinance (Initiated Ordinance 306, voter-approved 2022; enforcement begins September 2026): requires multifamily buildings (8+ units), non-residential buildings, food businesses, and events to provide recycling and composting alongside trash.
  • Denver County has no large permanent HHW facility of its own; the City refers most heavy HHW to Rooney Road Recycling Center in Jefferson County (151 South Rooney Road, Golden) or to Veolia in Henderson (Adams County). Eligibility and fees depend on whether your jurisdiction is a paying participant.
  • Rooney Road runs Wed and Sat by appointment only (303-316-6262). Latex/oil paint and used motor oil are free drop-offs. Curbside pickup is available for residents physically unable to drive ($40 co-pay).
  • Denver Recycles weekly compost cart service is bundled into the PAYT fee citywide as of 2023 — one of the few US cities to make residential composting universal at no extra charge.
  • Denver Treecycle: free Christmas tree drop-off in early January; trees are mulched and the mulch is given back to residents free at the May Mulch Giveaway & Compost Sale. Trees left for regular trash pickup are NOT composted.
  • Best Buy in metro Denver still charges $29.99 to recycle CRT TVs/monitors (flat-panels free), reflecting the high handling cost of leaded glass after the e-waste ban.
  • Free statewide packaging recycling under HB22-1355 is being phased in — residents in covered jurisdictions get curbside recycling at no charge starting in mid-2026.
  • Colorado is one of only a few states with a PaintCare program that offers free household door-to-door pickup for 10+ gallons, not just drop-off sites.
  • Denver's 'Waste No More' ordinance (voter-approved 2022) enforcement was delayed to September 2026, giving multifamily and commercial buildings extra time to comply with mandatory recycling and composting requirements.

Other Denver programs

  • Denver Recycles Household Hazardous Waste ProgramCity-run HHW program for Denver residents only. Offers free paint drop-off (via PaintCare partnership) and at-your-door HHW collection by appointment; battery disposal guidance. Call 3-1-1 for current scheduling/cost details.311 (or 720-913-1311)
  • PaintCare ColoradoFree year-round drop-off of latex/oil-based paint, primers, stains, sealers, shellac, and varnish at 220+ Colorado sites (60+ in metro Denver). 5 gallons per visit at most sites. Door-to-door household pickup for 10+ gallons in the Denver metro; free large-volume pickup for contractors with 100+ gallons. Funded by per-can fee added at retail.1-855-724-6809 (locator); 720-854-8722 (household pickup)
  • Veolia Colorado HHW Recycling Center (Henderson)Regional HHW center at 9131 E. 96th Ave, Henderson. Serves Adams and neighboring county residents by appointment. Architectural paint accepted free (PaintCare); other chemicals/electronics $30 facility fee + $1.66/lb. Accepts antifreeze, motor oil, batteries, propane, fire extinguishers, computers, monitors, TVs, printers.303-526-8155
  • Blue Star Recyclers (Denver)Nonprofit, e-Stewards and NAID AAA certified electronics recycler. Accepts TVs, CRTs, computers, printers, batteries, bulbs. Provides on-site/off-site hard-drive data destruction. Employs workers with autism and other disabilities.303-534-1667
  • PCs for People Colorado501(c)(3) with NAID AAA + R2 certifications. Free white-glove pickup for businesses with 15+ usable computers; drop-off for households. Refurbishes devices for low-income families; zero-landfill for non-refurb.
  • Call2Recycle (The Battery Network)National rechargeable-battery and cell-phone drop-off network. Free at Home Depot, Lowe's, Batteries Plus, Staples, and many municipal sites across metro Denver. Accepts Li-ion, NiCd, NiMH, lead acid (small sealed). Lithium terminals must be taped before drop-off.1-877-723-1297
  • GreenSheen Paint (Denver)Local PaintCare-affiliated paint recycler offering free residential paint pickup in Denver, Arapahoe, Adams, Broomfield, Douglas, El Paso, Teller, and Jefferson counties. Hosts periodic free paint-recycling events.720-854-8722
  • Eco-Cycle (Boulder/Longmont area, serving Denver metro)Nonprofit recycler operating CHaRM facilities and offering zero-waste resources, education, and hard-to-recycle collection events. Provides residential and commercial recycling services in the broader Denver metro area.303-444-6634
  • Denver Compost Collection ProgramWeekly curbside compost pick-up included with Pay-As-You-Throw trash service at no extra charge. Accepts food scraps, yard waste, compostable paper products. One of few US cities to make residential composting universal at no additional fee.
Where this came from: 13 sources

Common questions

About Alkaline Battery Recycling here

How much does Alkaline Battery recycling cost in this area?

Most facilities charge a fee for Alkaline Battery recycling — check each listing for details. Best Buy: Free (most items); TVs under 50" $30. Rooney Road Recycling Center: Paint and motor oil: free. Electronics: per-item fee. HHW: $0-$3 per item..

Do I need an appointment for Alkaline Battery drop-off?

1 facility requires an appointment: Rooney Road Recycling Center. Best Buy, Batteries + Bulbs accept walk-ins.

Is pickup available for Alkaline Battery?

Most facilities require you to drop off Alkaline Battery. Check individual listings for special arrangements.

Are there quantity limits for Alkaline Battery drop-off?

Some facilities have limits: Best Buy: 3 items per day.

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