livehaddonfield.
The newsletter

News

Where Do Lithium Batteries Go in Haddonfield? Not Your Trash or Recycling Bin. Here Is Where to Take Them

A Haddonfield recycling truck burned in October. Here's what goes in the bin, what doesn't, and where batteries go now.

By Live Haddonfield ยท

Lithium batteries don't belong in your Haddonfield trash can or recycling bin. Not in a bag, not taped up, not "just this once." After a Haddonfield recycling truck caught fire on Route 42 in October, the borough is asking every household to take them to a drop-off instead, and it's working on a battery program of its own.

What happened

A borough recycling truck heading to the Omni Recycling plant in Pitman caught fire on Route 42 in early October, according to The Retrospect and Patch. The driver saw smoke, pulled over and got out safely. Officials believe the fire started in the load of paper and plastic, and lithium batteries are being examined as a possible cause. The State Police report was still pending in mid-October.

It also hurt the fleet. The borough has five trucks for vegetative waste and recycling, and at the time one was in the shop and another was waiting on parts, Communications Director Joanna McDonnell told The Retrospect. Whether the burned truck gets replaced depends on the insurance review.

Why batteries are the problem

When a truck compacts a load, a lithium battery can get crushed. It can rupture and ignite. "Lithium batteries cannot be disposed of in recycling or trash!" the borough's alert said. Camden County puts it plainly too: these batteries burn very hot and have destroyed recycling facilities.

What has them (more than you think)

The borough's Public Works page has a long list. The surprises for most of us:

  • Wireless earbuds, smartwatches and fitness trackers
  • Electric toothbrushes and shavers
  • Handheld and robot vacuums
  • Cordless drills, leaf blowers and trimmers
  • Heated socks, gloves and vests
  • Vape pens and e-cigarettes
  • Key fobs, smart doorbells and greeting cards that play music

If it charges, assume lithium.

Where to take them now

Haddonfield doesn't have its own drop-off yet. Until it does, the DPW page points residents to two stores in Lawnside:

  • Lowe's in Lawnside takes rechargeable, cell phone and high-energy batteries.
  • Home Depot in Lawnside takes rechargeable batteries only.

Camden County lists more options:

  • Retail battery drop-offs, including Home Depot, Lowe's and Staples. The statewide Avoid the Spark NJ campaign has a locator.
  • State-permitted e-waste recyclers for batteries still inside a device: Magnum Computer Recycling in Pennsauken (856-333-0991) and Tab Shredding in Berlin (856-768-4402), which charges a fee and suggests an appointment.
  • The county's Household Hazardous Waste days, which take loose rechargeable and single-use lithium batteries but not devices. The last 2026 event was Oct. 17 in Lindenwold, so the next chance is the 2027 schedule.

A simple habit that helps

Keep a small box in the garage or a kitchen drawer. Drop dead batteries in as they die, and empty it on your next Lawnside run. The borough's Thanksgiving week trash schedule is coming up, too, so it's a good time to check what's going out to the curb.

Sources

Small borough changes like this one are easy to miss. The Friday newsletter rounds them up so you don't have to. Subscribe here.

FAQ

Can I put lithium batteries in Haddonfield trash or recycling?
No. The Haddonfield Department of Public Works says lithium and lithium-ion batteries must stay out of the trash and recycling because they can ignite when crushed.
Where can Haddonfield residents drop off lithium batteries?
Until the borough starts its own program, its DPW page points to Lowe's in Lawnside (rechargeable, cell phone and high-energy batteries) and Home Depot in Lawnside (rechargeable only).
Does Haddonfield have its own battery drop-off?
Not yet. The borough says it is in the process of starting a battery recycling program.