Battery Disposal

Questions? Contact Environment, Health and Safety

Overview

What do you do with dead batteries? Find out here.

Batteries are a type of hazardous waste called universal waste. Toxic heavy metals and corrosive properties of batteris make them unsuitable for disposal in the municipal trash because they can contaminate surface and ground water. Therefore, at UCSF, batteries must be disposed of through EH&S to ensure proper disposal. 

How to Dispose of Batteries

Login to your WASTe account through MyAccess and create a universal waste label. Store the batteries in a ziplock bag or leak proof hard sided container until they can be picked up by EH&S. To schedule pickup designate the batteries as "Ready for Disposal" in WASTe. Used batteries are allowed to be stored in the laboratory for a maximum of 180 days. If you do not request pick-up, EH&S will automatically schedule pickup from your laboraotry once 180 days in accumulation is reached. 

Alternatively, batteries can be dropped off at either of the following locations: 

Mission Bay Campus

  • CVRI - 1st floor vending machine room
  • Genentech Hall- 3rd floor vending machine room
  • Helen Diller - 1st floor vending machine room
  • Mission Bay- Housing office 1505 4th street, room 101
  • Mission Hall- 1st floor vending machine room
  • Neuroscience Center - 1st floor security check-in
  • Rock Hall 19B - 1st floor vending machine room
  • Rutter Center- 2nd floor by service elevator

Parnassus Campus

  • Health Science West- 2nd floor by service elevators
  • Medical Center Lobby - Room M-192
  • Millberry Union- 1st floor hallway by ramp entrance near MU-West 111
  • School of Nursing - 3rd floor Mezzanine

Other UCSF Locations

  • 654 Minnesota Street - 2nd floor copy room, Room 208
  • Laurel Heights- 1st floor vending machine room
  • Mission Center Building- Lobby
  • Mission Center Building- 4th floor break room
  • Mt. Zion Cancer Research - N423
  • Mt. Zion Medical Center -A-014, B-649, B-739, Basement vending machine room