Do not throw an old car battery into municipal household trash. Federal environmental regulations classify lead-acid batteries as hazardous waste due to their toxic lead plates and sulfuric acid. Retailers selling automotive batteries run closed-loop recycling networks that recover over 99 percent of all automotive lead components.
To support this recycling loop, retail auto parts shops charge a mandatory core fee on every battery purchase, typically running between $10 and $25. When you bring your depleted battery back to the counter alongside your purchase receipt, the store processes your car battery core charge return and refunds the deposit immediately to your card or cash balance. Even if you buy your new battery through an online supplier, local auto parts stores will usually take the old core and hand you store credit or cash on the spot.
