How to safely dispose of old batteries this weekend in Fairhope and Gulf Shores

Got old batteries piling up in a junk drawer? This Saturday, Sept. 12, you can drop them off for free, and Baldwin County is home to two of the only stops on this year’s National Battery Take-Back Day tour.

The event, hosted by the National Waste & Recycling Foundation and its “Skip the Bin! Turn Your Batteries In!” campaign, is stopping in just 11 cities nationwide. Alabama has two of them, both in Baldwin County and both running 7AM to noon.

Both events are free and open to all ages, with some “Skip the Bin!” swag available while supplies last.

Where to go in Baldwin County

Gulf Shores

• In partnership with Orange Beach CHaRM and the Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Baldwin County.
• Address: 22510 Russian Rd, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
• Hours: 7AM-Noon

Fairhope

• In partnership with Fairhope CHaRM and the Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Baldwin County.
• Address: 20609 Bishop Rd, Fairhope, AL 36532
• Hours: 7AM-Noon

Why it matters

Batteries tossed in the regular trash—from old holiday decorations, tools, phones and more—can spark and ignite fires that are notoriously hard to put out. Organizers say thousands of battery-related fires break out each year in homes, offices and recycling centers, putting firefighters and sanitation workers at risk.

What you can bring

• Single-use AA, AAA, 9-volt, C and D batteries
• Button cells from watches, hearing aids and small electronics
• Removable rechargeable batteries (lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium) from toothbrushes, razors, drones, laptops, cameras, phones and power tools

What’s not accepted

• Car batteries
• Vapes
• Industrial or large-format batteries, including UPS, e-bike and scooter batteries
• Batteries still inside devices—remove them before dropping off