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Battery Recycling · Portland, OR

Lithium Ion Battery Disposal in Portland

Before you go

Lithium cells are the item on this site most likely to cause an actual fire. Two minutes of tape prevents nearly all of it.

  1. Tape the terminals

    Clear packing tape or electrical tape over the contacts. It stops a loose cell shorting against metal in a bin, which is one of the ways these start fires. It is not the main one: most battery fires at recycling facilities begin with a cell being crushed, so taping a cell does not make it safe to put in a bin that is not meant for batteries.

  2. Never put them in curbside recycling or the trash

    A lithium cell that gets crushed in a collection truck or a sorting line starts a fire that's very hard to put out. This is the reason your hauler asks.

  3. Handle a swollen or hot battery differently

    Put it in a non-flammable container (a metal tin, or sand or cat litter in a bucket), keep it away from anything that burns, and call the site before you drive over. Some locations won't accept a damaged cell over the counter.

  4. Bag cells individually where tape won't stick

    Recessed or irregular terminals don't hold tape well. A separate zip bag per cell does the same job of keeping contacts apart.

  5. Run it down before it sits in a drawer

    A cell waiting a few days is safer at a low state of charge than a full one. Don't fully discharge it either; around half is the comfortable place.

Compare options

Lithium Ion Battery Disposal in Portland

2 free · 4 fee-based

Facility Cost Open now Notes
The Home Depot (Portland) - Call2Recycle Battery Drop-Off Free Store hours (typically 6 AM - 9 PM) Walk-in Call2Recycle drop-off bins near store entrance.
Lowe's (Portland) - Call2Recycle Battery Drop-Off Free Store hours (typically 6 AM - 9 PM) Walk-in Multiple Portland-area Lowe's locations participate in Call2Recycle.
Paid or fee-based options
Batteries Plus Bulbs (SE Portland & NE Broadway)(503) 771-1377 Free for most
small fee for some chemistries		 Mon-Sat 8 AM - 7 PM, Sun 10 AM - 5 PM Walk-in Two Portland metro locations: SE 82nd Ave and NE Broadway.
Best Buy (Portland) - Electronics & Battery Recycling Free for most
$29.99 fee for TVs over 50" and large monitors		 Store hours (typically 10 AM - 9 PM) Walk-in Multiple Portland metro locations including Jantzen Beach, Clackamas, Beaverton, and…
Metro Central Transfer Station & Household Hazardous Waste Facility(503) 234-3000 Depends on the item
Garbage/yard debris: $35-47 minimum		 HHW: Daily 9 AM - 4 PM | Transfer Station: Daily 8 AM - 5 PM Walk-in Metro's primary HHW drop-off location for Portland.
Metro South Transfer Station & Household Hazardous Waste Facility(503) 234-3000 Depends on the item
Garbage/yard debris: $35-47 minimum		 HHW: Daily 9 AM - 4 PM | Transfer Station: Daily 7 AM - 7 PM Walk-in Metro South serves the southern Portland metro (Clackamas County, Oregon City area).

How it works in Portland

Drop at Metro Central or Metro South HHW (free, daily 9 AM-4 PM, up to 35 gal HHW/visit) or at Call2Recycle network locations: Home Depot, Lowe's, Staples, and Portland-area bike shops. Oregon's new battery EPR law (HB 4144) will require a producer-funded statewide collection system by 2029 and bans batteries from the trash; the law was driven by 58 battery-caused fires at Metro's transfer stations in 2025 alone.

Local rules

  • Oregon HB 4144 / battery EPR (2024-2025 session): producer-funded statewide battery collection program required to launch by 2029; bans portable and medium-format (<=25 lb) batteries from the trash.

Worth knowing

  • Metro's two transfer stations recorded 61 fires in 2025, 58 caused by batteries thrown in the trash — a key driver of the new state battery EPR law.

Multnomah County household hazardous waste

Metro Central HHW Facility

Daily 9 AM-4 PM. Free HHW drop-off, also accepts electronics (Oregon E-Cycles, 7/day limit) and batteries. 35-gallon HHW per visit cap.

(503) 234-3000 Official program page (opens in a new tab)

16 more Portland rules, not specific to this item
  • Oregon E-Cycles (ORS 459A.305-365): manufacturer-funded statewide e-waste program since 2009. Covers computers, monitors, TVs, laptops, tablets, printers, keyboards, and mice. Free up to 7 items/visit; households and small businesses/nonprofits with <=10 employees qualify.
  • Oregon Paint Stewardship Law (2009, program launched July 2010): Oregon was the FIRST state in the U.S. to launch a PaintCare paint-recycling program. Funded by a per-container fee at point of sale.
  • Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (SB 582, 2021; effective July 1, 2025): first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for packaging in the U.S. Producers fund collection, sorting, and processing. Curbside list expanded statewide July 2025 to add screw-on plastic caps (attached to bottles) and clean pizza boxes.
  • Oregon Bottle Bill (1971, first in the U.S.): 10-cent deposit (raised from 5 cents on April 1, 2017 after redemption fell below 80% for two consecutive years).
  • ORS 459A.010-040: Oregon's statewide recycling mandate requires local governments to provide recycling collection; prohibits the disposal of recyclable materials (including covered electronics) in landfills.
  • City of Portland Commercial Recycling Ordinance (Title 11): requires all commercial businesses and multifamily properties to have recycling service and meet minimum diversion requirements.
  • Metro is a unique elected regional government covering urban Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties and 24 cities. It — not the county — runs the two permanent HHW facilities (Metro Central in NW Portland, Metro South in Oregon City) and the regional recycling hotline.
  • HHW free drop-off is capped at 35 gallons per visit by container size (households only); businesses must apply, schedule, and pay.
  • Oregon E-Cycles 7-item/day cap applies per person per site; larger loads may be charged.
  • MetroPaint — the Portland-area's iconic recycled latex paint brand that operated 1992-2025 — closed at the end of 2025. PaintCare and Metro HHW now handle all leftover paint in the region.
  • Free neighborhood HHW collection events run roughly the last Saturday of each month March-November (skipping July/August).
  • Recycling Modernization Act curbside changes took effect July 1, 2025: plastic bottle caps OK if screwed on, clean (but greasy) pizza boxes OK.
  • PaintCare Oregon has ~190+ year-round sites — more than 98% of Oregonians live within 15 miles of one; most are independent paint stores and hardware stores.
  • Free Geek Portland is a community institution — founded in 1999, it has refurbished and distributed over 60,000 computers to the community. It's a donation drop-off point for legacy electronics that still have reuse value.
  • Oregon was the first state in the US to pass paint stewardship legislation (2009) and the first to launch PaintCare (July 2010) — its model was emulated by 11 other states and DC.
  • Portland's curbside recycling is bi-weekly (alternating weeks with garbage), and the city has one of the highest recycling participation rates in the country thanks to educational outreach and the Recycling Modernization Act funding.

Other Portland programs

  • Metro Central Transfer Station HHW FacilityPermanent HHW drop-off in NW Portland at 6161 NW 61st Ave. Free for households, up to 35 gallons per visit by container size. Accepts electronics (free via Oregon E-Cycles, up to 7 items/day), paint (free via PaintCare), batteries, fluorescent bulbs, pesticides, automotive fluids, and medications. Open daily 9AM-4PM.503-234-3000
  • Metro South Transfer Station HHW FacilitySecond permanent HHW facility in greater Portland (Oregon City, Clackamas County). Free HHW drop-off for households up to 35 gallons by container size. Also an Oregon E-Cycles site (7 covered electronics per day) and PaintCare site.503-234-3000
  • Oregon E-Cycles (state program)Free recycling of computers, monitors, laptops, tablets, TVs (CRT and flat-panel with viewable area >4" diagonal), printers, keyboards, and mice. Up to 7 items per person per visit at any participating collector statewide. Households, small businesses, and small nonprofits (10 or fewer employees) qualify.888-769-0149
  • PaintCare OregonStatewide paint stewardship program. Free drop-off for latex and oil-based architectural paints, primers, stains, sealers, shellac, and varnish at ~190+ year-round sites (most are independent paint and hardware retailers). Containers up to 5 gallons accepted. Free Large Volume Pickup (LVP) for contractors/property managers with 100+ gallons.855-724-6809
  • Metro Recycling Information / Ask MetroBilingual (English/Spanish) hotline for recycling, garbage, hazardous waste, and waste-reduction questions across the tri-county Portland metro. Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-5 PM.503-234-3000
  • Metro Neighborhood Hazardous Waste Collection EventsFree traveling HHW collection events in cities across the tri-county area, weekends from early spring through mid-November. No charge to drop off household hazardous waste. Typically held the last Saturday of each month March-November (excluding July/August).503-234-3000
  • Call2Recycle (battery drop-off network)Free drop-off for rechargeable batteries (including lithium-ion up to 11 lb) and single-use batteries (fees may apply) at participating Portland-area Home Depot, Lowe's, Staples, and battery/bike shops.877-723-1297
  • BottleDrop / Oregon Bottle Bill (OBRC)10-cent deposit redemption on beverage containers (water, soda, beer, kombucha, etc.). Return at grocery retailers, BottleDrop redemption centers, or via prepaid Green Bag account drop. Hand-count limit 50 containers/day; SB 992 (2025) authorizes alternative redemption centers in cities >500,000 (Portland only) accepting up to 350 containers/person/day.503-892-0395
  • Green Century Electronics Recycling (NW Portland)R2v3-, ISO 14001-, and ISO 45001-certified electronics recycler in NW Portland. On-site hard-drive destruction, business and consumer electronics drop-off.503-764-9963
  • Far West Recycling (Portland)Family-owned, R2-certified electronics recycler and ITAD provider in Portland. Handles commercial e-waste, on-site data destruction, and bulk recycling services. Accepts CRTs, computers, printers, and scrap metal.503-255-2299
  • Free Geek PortlandNonprofit that accepts and refurbishes donated computers, laptops, tablets, and electronics. Provides free or low-cost computers to low-income individuals and non-profits. Also offers e-waste drop-off for items not suitable for refurbishment. Located in SE Portland.503-232-9350
Where this came from: 13 sources

Common questions

About Lithium Ion Battery Disposal here

How much does Lithium Ion Battery disposal cost in this area?

2 of 6 facilities (33%) offer free disposal for Lithium Ion Battery. Facilities that may charge: Batteries Plus Bulbs (SE Portland & NE Broadway), Best Buy (Portland) - Electronics & Battery Recycling, Metro Central Transfer Station & Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Batteries Plus Bulbs (SE Portland & NE Broadway): Free for most household batteries; small fee for some chemistries. Best Buy (Portland) - Electronics & Battery Recycling: Free for most items. $29.99 fee for TVs over 50" and large monitors..

Do I need an appointment for Lithium Ion Battery drop-off?

No appointment needed. Batteries Plus Bulbs (SE Portland & NE Broadway), Best Buy (Portland) - Electronics & Battery Recycling, Metro Central Transfer Station & Household Hazardous Waste Facility, Metro South Transfer Station & Household Hazardous Waste Facility accept walk-ins.

Is pickup available for Lithium Ion Battery?

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

Are there quantity limits for Lithium Ion Battery drop-off?

Some facilities have limits: Best Buy (Portland) - Electronics & Battery Recycling: 3 items per day; Metro Central Transfer Station & Household Hazardous Waste Facility: 35 gallons HHW, 7 electronics per day per person; Metro South Transfer Station & Household Hazardous Waste Facility: 35 gallons HHW, 7 electronics per day per person; The Home Depot (Portland) - Call2Recycle Battery Drop-Off: Residential quantities.

Why do I need to tape battery terminals?

Lithium-ion batteries can short circuit if the positive and negative terminals touch metal (keys, coins, wires). This can cause fires in collection bins and trucks. Use clear tape or electrical tape to cover the terminals.

Can lithium-ion batteries go in the trash?

Never — lithium-ion batteries are classified as hazardous waste. They can cause fires in landfills and recycling facilities. All states require them to be recycled or disposed as hazardous waste.

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