Help prevent fires by disposing of batteries properly

Did you know batteries are considered household hazardous waste? Just like household cleaners, medications, paints and other corrosive, flammable, explosive or poisonous items, they should never be disposed of in your curbside waste.  

Electronics containing rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, like vapes, e-cigarettes, cellphones and many others, can overheat and spark a fire in garbage bins or waste collection trucks when placed curbside. 

To safely dispose of batteries and other electronic waste, take them to a York Region Waste Depot (fees may apply). Cover terminal ends with duct, electrical or packing tape before bringing them to a battery collection site to prevent them touching other terminals or metal objects You can also dispose of batteries safely at Bathurst Clark (900 Clark Ave.), Civic Centre (2191 Major Mackenzie Dr.) and Pierre Berton (4921 Rutherford Rd.) resource libraries. Visit york.ca/WasteDepots for more information, including hours of operation. 

Large electronic waste like laptops and printers also contain hazardous materials and should never be placed at the curb. Instead, you can:

• donate gently used or old but in good working condition electronics to friends and family, a local charity or second-hand shop.

• visit recyclemyelectronics.ca to search Vaughan’s nearest retail recycling location by postal code.

Don’t guess – check!

If you don’t know where to dispose of an item, use the online ‘What Goes Where?’ sorting tool to check using the search function. You can also download the free Recycle Coach app from the Apple App Store or Google Play for more sorting help. The app also provides waste-less tips and a personalized collection schedule with optional alerts on what to put to the curb each week. 

To learn more about waste collection in Vaughan, visit vaughan.ca/waste.

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