Car Batteries Alternative ways to recycle Illegal in Garbage & Drains Return-To-Retail Cars, trucks, recreational vehicles, and boats all use lead-acid batteries. It is illegal to dispose of lead-acid batteries in your trash. If not properly handled, lead-acid batteries can leak contaminants into soil and water. Instead, you must take your dead battery for recycling to a retail store, distributor, or battery recycling facility. Retailers are required by law to accept used batteries from customers and distributors must accept used batteries from their retailers. CLICK HERE to learn more about lead-acid battery recycling. Never Throw Away Car batteries from non-electric vehicles are lead-acid batteries that are illegal to throw in the trash. They can leach harmful chemicals into the water and soil and contaminate drinking water sources. Alternative Ways to Recycle Return to the Store When it’s time to buy a new car battery, bring the old one to the retailer or dealership. Certified service shops collect and recycle them for you. Firestone Battery Recycling Program Firestone sells tires along with other auto products and services. They run a free battery recycling program that accepts drop-offs. Find a store. Recycle With AutoZone AutoZone is the second largest retailer of aftermarket car parts. They accept old car batteries at their store locations. Find a store. Did You Know? Job Creation and Automotive Recycling In the United States, the automotive recycling industry employs more than 140,000 people nationwide, bringing in about $32 billion in sales each year. About 86 percent of a whole vehicle can be recycled into new car parts or other consumer products. Find out more.