Used car and industrial batteries: how to store and hand them over correctly
Transport fleets, workshops, warehouses with forklifts and any company with UPS systems end up with used batteries. The lead, plastic and electrolyte inside are recovered almost completely, but until then the battery remains hazardous waste with strict rules.
In short
- Lead-acid batteries carry code 16 06 01* and are hazardous waste.
- Keep them intact, upright and with the electrolyte inside; don't drain them or mix them with portable batteries.
- Hand them over only to an operator licensed for the code, with a shipment form and weighing on receipt.
Why a lead-acid battery is hazardous waste
A lead-acid battery contains toxic lead and lead compounds and a corrosive sulphuric-acid electrolyte. That's why it falls under code 16 06 01*, with an asterisk, and is managed under the rules for hazardous waste: controlled storage, transport with a shipment form, handover only to licensed operators.
Portable batteries — alkaline, lithium-ion, nickel-metal hydride — have different codes and aren't mixed with car batteries. Separating by type is the first step towards a trouble-free handover.
What's recovered from a battery
In recycling, the battery is shredded and its components separated: the lead grid and paste go to smelting and become secondary lead, the polypropylene casing becomes plastic granules, and the electrolyte is neutralised or recovered.
The recovery rate is very high, which is why used batteries have value on handover. That value depends on their condition, though: a cracked battery that has leaked its acid is harder to handle and worth less.
Storing them safely on site
Keep batteries intact, upright, with their caps in place, on an acid-resistant surface or in a dedicated collection container. Don't stack them directly on top of each other without separation, and don't leave them out in the rain.
Never drain the electrolyte. Acid spilled on the ground or into the sewer is real pollution and a certain fine, and a drained battery isn't easier to hand over — it's harder.
Handover and paperwork
Used batteries are handed over to an operator licensed for code 16 06 01*, with a hazardous-waste shipment form. The quantity is weighed on receipt and goes into the monthly waste record, like any other code.
We collect used car and industrial batteries with our own transport and the required documents, alongside the used oil and WEEE that a workshop or fleet usually generates at the same time. A single pickup can cover all of these streams.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you pay for used batteries?
- Lead-acid batteries have value because of the lead, so handing them over can generate income. The price depends on the lead quote and the condition of the batteries — get in touch for an up-to-date offer.
- Can I hand over car batteries together with laptop batteries?
- In the same pickup, yes, but in separate containers: lithium-ion batteries have a different code, different risks (including fire) and a different recycling route.
- What do I do with a cracked battery that's leaking acid?
- Put it in a sealed, acid-resistant container, soak up the spill with absorbent material and hand it over as it is, mentioning its condition when you book the pickup. The soaked absorbent becomes hazardous waste too.
This article is informational and reflects our practice at the date of publication. Romanian environmental legislation changes frequently — for your company's specific situation, check the texts in force and consult the environmental protection agency or a specialist adviser.