Effective immediately, the Postal Service™ has cancelled the internal battery mailback programs to the Mail Recovery Center (Atlanta) and Tampa L&DC (Ybor City). Do NOT send batteries through the mail to these locations. Also, do NOT send used batteries to the Material Distribution Center (Topeka) unless they are contained in equipment sent for recycling, such as computers or cell phones. Please use vendor-provided recycling Mailback Services on eBuy2 or our National Waste Management contractors (Safety-Kleen or Stericycle), also available on eBuy2.
We have established procedures for recycling batteries used in:
n Mail processing,
n Vehicle maintenance,
n Field operations,
n Delivery,
n Building maintenance, and
n Scanning operations.
For more information, including onsite storage requirements and eBuy2 catalog numbers, review the Used Battery Environmental Compliance Bulletin (blue.usps.gov/sustainability/environmental/_pdf/waste/ECB_UsedBatteries.pdf). For pictures and examples of each battery type, visit the Postal Service Battery Recycling website at blue.usps.gov/sustainability/battery-recycling.htm.
Battery Types and Recycling
Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-CD)
Manage these batteries as universal waste and recycle through the Mailback Service or direct pick-up from Safety-Kleen or Stericycle on eBuy2. These batteries are found in power tools, emergency lighting, and other types of portable electronic equipment.
Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH)
Manage these batteries as universal waste and recycle through the Mailback Service or direct pick-up from Safety-Kleen or Stericycle on eBuy2. These batteries are commonly found in power tools, cell phones, cameras, and other types of portable electronic equipment.
Lithium (L)
Manage these batteries as universal waste and recycle through the Mailback Service or direct pick-up from Stericycle on eBuy2. These batteries are commonly found in cameras and other electronic devices that don’t require rechargeable batteries.
Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) and Lithium Polymer (Li-poly)
Manage these batteries as universal waste and recycle through the Mailback Service or direct pick-up from Stericycle on eBuy2. These batteries are commonly found in cell phones, laptops, cameras, Intelligent Mail Data Acquisition Scanners (IMDAS), Mobile Delivery Devices (MDD), and SV mobile scanners.
Silver Oxide
Manage these batteries as universal waste and recycle through the Mailback Service or direct pick-up from Safety-Kleen or Stericycle on eBuy2. These batteries are commonly found in watches, laptops, and other devices that require button cell batteries.
Alkaline
Manage these batteries as non-hazardous waste and recycle through a local recycling center or via eBuy2 through the Mailback Service or direct pick-up from Safety-Kleen or Stericycle. Alkaline batteries include A, AA, AAA, C, and D household batteries. Note: Universal waste batteries, such as lithium, are also made in these sizes. Manage lithium batteries separately per the instructions for that battery type.
Small Sealed Lead-Acid
Manage these batteries as universal waste and recycle through the Mailback Service or direct pick-up from Safety-Kleen or Stericycle on eBuy2. These batteries are commonly used as power backup in emergency lighting and in other emergency power backup systems.
Vehicular Lead-Acid (Wet and Gel-Cell)
Recycle sealed vehicular lead-acid batteries through your automotive battery supplier as part of a one-for-one exchange for each new battery delivered. Your battery supplier picks up the waste batteries and exchanges them for new ones. Note: The contract with Exide Technologies expires April 2017.
Industrial Lead-Acid
Recycle sealed industrial batteries through Enersys® Inc. Industrial batteries are used in powered industrial vehicles, including tow motors and forklifts.
Universal Waste Management
Small dry cell batteries (Ni-Cd, NiMH, Li, and Silver/Mercury Oxide), Li-Ion batteries, and small sealed lead-acid batteries contain hazardous materials and are regulated as universal waste. Sites must store universal waste batteries in leak-proof containers that are closed and clearly labeled “Universal Waste: Batteries” prior to shipment offsite via Mailback Services or direct pick-up.
Universal waste batteries must be shipped offsite within one year (365 days) of the day they were generated. Sites must maintain recycling records and properly train employees to manage these wastes. For more information, review the Used Battery Environmental Compliance Bulletin at blue.usps.gov/sustainability/environmental/_pdf/waste/ECB_UsedBatteries.pdf.
For Information on Batteries Not Listed
If you have other types of batteries that are not listed above, please contact the Office of Sustainability at Sustainability@usps.gov for guidance on proper recycling procedures.
— Corporate Sustainability Initiatives,
Office of Sustainability, 4-13-17
