Kauai County warns residents: don't dump car batteries at landfills

Kauai County told residents on July 10 not to take automotive batteries to county refuse transfer stations or the Kekaha Landfill, saying those sites are not allowed to accept them for recycling. The warning was aimed at anyone clearing out a garage, replacing a vehicle battery or trying to get rid of household clutter without realizing car batteries are handled differently from ordinary scrap.

The county said used batteries contain sulfuric acid and lead, materials that can leak corrosive liquid, contaminate the environment and create safety hazards if a battery is dropped off in the wrong place. That risk extends beyond one household: a damaged battery can threaten workers at transfer stations and landfills, and one improperly handled battery can send hazardous material into the waste stream.

Residents were told to recycle automotive batteries free of charge at businesses that sell them, including auto parts stores and other retailers. Many of those locations also offer a store credit or core refund when someone buys a replacement battery, giving drivers a financial reason to bring the old one back instead of leaving it in a garage corner or loading it into a trash run.

The county said callers should check ahead before making the trip, both to confirm a location is accepting batteries and to ask whether a credit or refund is available. That matters for people trying to clear out a worn-out battery after a repair or replacement, since the rules at county facilities are stricter than the rules at retail sellers with recycling programs.

County officials pointed residents to the solid waste division’s battery-recycling information and the county solid-waste line for help. The message was straightforward: keep automotive batteries out of county dump sites, and take them to the retailers that are set up to receive them safely.