Baldwin County residents will have the opportunity to safely dispose of household batteries for free on Saturday, Sept. 12, during “Skip the Bin” National Battery Take-Back Day. The Solid Waste Disposal Authority (SWDA) of Baldwin County will be participating in the event with the National Waste and Recycling Foundation (NWRF) to prevent dangerous incidents caused by improper common battery disposal.
As part of this nationwide effort, SWDA will waive its usual battery fees, $2 for car batteries and $5 for electronics, exclusively at participating Centers for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM). The fee waiver will not be available at SWDA landfills. Participating CHaRMs will accept batteries during normal operating hours, 7 a.m. to noon at the following locations:
- Orange Beach: 22510 Russian Rd, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
- Fairhope: 20609 Bishop Rd, Fairhope, AL 36532
The event aims to raise awareness about the dangers of placing batteries in household trash and recycling bins. Batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries (including those in phones, tablets, smart watches, power tools and vacuums), can cause fires when damaged or improperly handled, creating risks for waste collection trucks, homes, recycling facilities and waste processing centers.
According to data provided by the NWRF:
- 448 publicly reported fires occurred at waste and recycling facilities across the United States and Canada in 2025, the highest number recorded.
- Catastrophic losses from fires at waste processing facilities have increased 41% over the past five years, with average losses reaching $22 million per facility.
- Since 2020, at least 89 deaths in the United States have been directly related to lithium-ion battery incidents.
“Safe battery disposal is an important part of protecting our community, along with the people who collect and process our waste,” said Terri Graham, CEO of SWDA. “National Battery Take-Back Day provides a valuable chance for residents to dispose of batteries in a convenient and safe manner, helping prevent potentially dangerous fires.”
Residents are encouraged to take advantage of the waived battery fees, and keep batteries out of household trash and recycling bins. For more information on National Battery Take Back Day, visit www.wasterecycling.org. To learn more about responsible solutions that keep recyclable materials out of landfills and support a cleaner, greener future for Baldwin County, visit www.baldwincountyswda.org.
