Household Battery and Cell Phone Collection Program

Single-Family Households

Starting September 3, 2018, residents in single-family homes can place household batteries (i.e. rechargeable, alkaline, button) and cell phones in a sealed, clear, zip-top bag and place on top of your black garbage cart on your regular collection day. Please tape lithium-ion batteries and wrap cell phones in paper before placing in the zip-top bag.

Multi-Family Residents

Check to see if your building has a designated area for battery and cell phone collection. If you do not see one in a central location, contact your Property Manager to request a free Recology San Mateo County Collection Bucket.

Property Managers

Establish a centrally-located collection container at your property (i.e. a lobby, multi-use room, mail room or clubhouse) for residents to place their bagged batteries and cell phones in a collection bucket, provided at no charge by Recology San Mateo County. When you are ready to schedule a collection, place the bucket in the mutually agreed upon collection area and call Recology San Mateo County to schedule a free pickup.

Drop-Off

Batteries (household single use and rechargeable) and cell phones are accepted at City Hall from residents between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Foster City also periodically hosts one-day e-waste collection events. View the Green Events flyer or follow us on social media for the dates and times.

Additionally, many local retailers accept old batteries and cell phones for proper disposal. Please visit RecycleStuff.org for drop-off locations.

Shoreway Environmental Center

Drop-off batteries and cell phones, along with other electronics, at the Shoreway Environmental Center at 333 Shoreway Road in San Carlos, CA 94070.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can I get another orange bag?
A: You may use any clear zip-top bag to collect batteries and cell phones in and place on top of your closed black cart on collection day. If you want to use another orange bag, you may find a list of locations at www.rethinkwaste.org/batteries.

Q: Are rechargeable batteries allowed?
A: Yes, any household rechargeable battery that fits safely into the bag is allowed. Lithium batteries need to be taped on both ends.

Q: Why did you change from blue to black carts? Why is there a relaunch? What changed?
A: In a survey of the recycling facility, they currently find, on average, about 13 batteries on the sort line every hour. Residents have been placing batteries inside their recycling carts and that is dangerous because batteries, even used ones, sometimes still contain a charge and can spark a fire when crushed by machinery and endanger employees. In fact, the recycling facility experienced a costly and catastrophic fire in September 2016, and the likely cause was a lithium battery in the recycling sort line.

Q: I live in an apartment/condo, and I don’t see an orange bucket?
A: You can ask your property/building manager to contact Recology San Mateo County to request a free orange bucket.

Q: I live in an apartment/condo, and my orange bucket is overfilling and Recology does not pick it up.
A: Contact your property/building manager to call Recology San Mateo County for a pick-up. The orange buckets are not serviced through the collection trucks, and service can only be requested by a property manager. Service of the buckets is free. More information about the program can be found on Recology’s website at www.recology.com/recology-san-mateo-county/property-managers-lounge/.

Q: What happens to the batteries once they are collected?
A: Batteries are collected by a reputable battery handler and then properly disposed of. In some cases, the metals in batteries are sorted out for recycling.