Battery Stewardship

The Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022 (AB 2440, Irwin, Chapter 351, Statutes of 2022) requires producers, either individually or through the creation of one or more stewardship organizations, to establish a stewardship program for the collection and recycling of covered batteries. See Statute for the definition of “covered battery”.

Program News

By June 30, 2023, producers were required to provide a list of covered batteries and brands to CalRecycle pursuant to PRC section 43421(a). CalRecycle compiled the lists into a Consolidated Report.

Upcoming Workshops

Battery Stewardship Public Workshops

Please subscribe to the Battery Stewardship Listserv to receive e-mail notifications about upcoming events.

Past Events

October 18, 2023
This informational session discussed:

Statute
Program Overview
Rulemaking process

Agenda
Public Notice
Presentation Slides

Anticipated Timeline of Select Activities

2023-2024

CalRecycle begins public engagement process
June 30, 2023 – Individual producers provide CalRecycle with a list of covered batteries and brands of covered batteries

2025 and ongoing

Regulations effective no earlier than April 1, 2025
Stewardship plans must be submitted to CalRecycle within 12 months of the effective date of regulations
Stewardship plans must be fully implemented within 12 months of CalRecycle approval

Resources

Find battery drop-off sites
Department of Toxic Substances Control’s Universal Waste Batteries webpage
Wastes banned from the trash
What can I recycle
Local recycling information
Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act data
US Environmental Protection Agency Memorandum: Lithium Battery Recycling Regulatory Status and Frequently Asked Questions

Battery-embedded products are not covered under the Responsible Battery Recycling Act. To learn more, visit CalRecycle’s Covered Battery-Embedded Products webpage.

Listserv

Subscribe to CalRecycle’s Battery Stewardship Listserv to receive periodic e-mail notifications about CalRecycle’s activities under the law.
You can review previous messages by visiting the Battery Stewardship Listserv Archive.

This page provides a brief overview, and is not intended to provide a comprehensive list of legal requirements. Please refer to statute for a complete list of requirements. Users are encouraged to seek the assistance of legal counsel to comply with applicable state law based on their pertinent facts and circumstances.