The information contained in this article is not intended as legal advice and may no longer be accurate due to changes in the law. Consult NHMA's legal services or your municipal attorney.
Demand for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries is growing. This is largely because of their efficient power delivery, relatively small packaging, and quick recharge rates that outperform other battery types.1 In everyday life, Li-ion batteries are used in a wide variety of consumer products, including:
- Automotive vehicles.
- Electric bikes and scooters.
- Lawncare equipment.
- Portable electronics such as cell phones, laptops, tablets, cameras, wireless headphones, speakers.
- Rechargeable toothbrushes.
- Cordless power tools.
- Toys and other rechargeable electronic devices.
Dangers of Lithium-Ion Batteries
When used properly, Li-ion batteries have a failure rate of less than one in a million.² However, if those same batteries are disposed improperly, they can easily be damaged and cause intense fires. Damage can lead to a phenomenon called “thermal runaway” which occurs when chemical reactions within the lithium-ion cell result in a self-heating, uncontrollable state.³
Consequences of thermal runaway include extremely high temperatures, gas ejection, smoke, and fire. When a Li-ion battery experiences thermal runaway within a load of trash or mixed recyclables, the fire can easily spread to other ignitable materials within the load, causing problems for waste haulers and solid waste management facilities.
According to an EPA study released in 2021, Li-ion batteries caused over 245 fires at 64 landfills across the United States between 2013-2020.⁴
Since then, there has been a significant increase in occurrence of fires. By 2024, a report by the National Waste and Recycling Association estimated more than 5,000 fires occur every year at waste management facilities nationwide, many likely caused by Li-ion batteries.⁵
In New Hampshire, solid waste facilities have experienced an uptick in fires, with the cause suspected to be Li-ion batteries. For example, the Cities of Lebanon⁶ and Keene⁷ as well as the Town of Lee⁸ recently reported fires at their solid waste facilities, causing thousands of dollars in damage. In March 2025, the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston reported a transfer station fire with estimated damages of $4 million.⁹
Fires in the waste stream result in economic loss, increased use of emergency response, service disruption, and can even lead to injury or death. In fact, New York City reported six deaths in 2024, which were related to lithium-ion battery fires.¹⁰
NH Legislators Enact Remedy
In 2024, New Hampshire legislators responded to the dangers posed by improper Li-ion battery disposal by enacting a disposal ban. New Hampshire State Rep. Karen Ebel introduced HB 1386, which proposed to add such batteries to the list of wastes banned from disposal in New Hampshire landfills and incinerators.¹¹ The bill gained the support of the New Hampshire Solid Waste Working Group, legislators, industry experts, waste haulers and municipalities, and was signed into law by Governor Sununu.
Starting July 1, 2025, all rechargeable Li-ion batteries will be prohibited from disposal in New Hampshire’s landfills and incinerators.¹² This applies to everyone statewide – individuals and businesses.
What NH Households and Businesses Should Know
Lithium-ion batteries contain hazardous metals and can pose safety hazards when improperly managed. When crushed or damaged, they can ignite.
Lithium-ion batteries should never be put in the trash or curbside recycling bin.
Starting July 2025, households and businesses must recycle lithium-ion batteries through separate battery collection programs.
Municipalities, solid waste districts, and owners or operators of solid waste landfill facilities and incinerators must provide informational signs, written notification to customers, and publicly available educational materials on the battery disposal ban, safe handling and recycling.
If it’s rechargeable, it’s recyclable!
Where To Recycle Lithium-Ion Batteries
Many New Hampshire municipalities and businesses like Staples, Best Buy, Home Depot, and BatteriesPlus, have collection boxes for recycling rechargeable batteries. To find the nearest drop-off site, contact your local transfer station, check Call2Recycle.org or visit one of the retail locations mentioned above.
In the search for recycling vendors, municipalities may review the state contracted vendors list. (Type in the word “electronic” in the search bar for a listing.)
For More Information
To learn more about how to manage different types of batteries, visit the Battery section of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Managing My Waste webpage.
Residents should contact their local transfer station or the NHDES Household Hazardous Waste Program via email at hhw@des.nh.gov or by phone at (603) 271-2047. Businesses should contact the Hazardous Waste Helpline at 1-866-HAZ-WAST.
Remember, if it’s rechargeable, it’s recyclable!
Endnotes
1 Ralls, A. M., Leong, K., Clayton, J., Fuelling, P., Mercer, C., Navarro, V., & Menezes, P. L. (2023). The Role of Lithium-Ion Batteries in the Growing Trend of
Electric Vehicles. Materials, 16(17), 6063. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16176063
2 BU-304a: Safety Concerns with Li-ion. (2010, September 3). Battery University. https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-304a-safety-concerns-with-li-i…
3 Research Institutes. (2021, September 14). What Are Lithium-Ion Batteries? - UL Research Institutes. UL Research Institutes. https://ul.org/research-pdates/whatare-lithium-ion-batteries/
4 United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). An Analysis of LithiumionBattery Fires in Waste Management and Recycling. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-08/lithium-ion-battery-…
5 Heffernan, M. (2024, January 19). Study quantifies lithium battery threat to infrastructure. E-Scrap News. https://resource-recycling.com/e-crap/2024/01/18/study-quantifies-lithi…
6 Fires at the Landfill Really Stink. (2020). Lebanon, NH. https://lebanonnh.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=695&ARC=1683
7 Second fire in days at Keene facility causes estimated $400K in damage. The Keene Sentinel. https://www.keenesentinel.com/news/local/second-fire-indays-atkeene-fac…
8 Lithium Battery Fire in Lee, NH. (2022, June 2). Northeast Resource Recovery Association. http://www.nrrarecycles.org/news/lithium-battery-fire-lee-nh
9 Friedman, I. (2025, March 16). Firefighters battle 8-alarm blaze at Roxbury transfer station. Boston Herald. https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/03/16/
firefighters-battle-blaze-at-roxbury-transfer-station/
10 FDNY Commissioner Announces Significant Progress in the Battle Against Lithium-Ion Battery Fires. (2025, January). The Official Website of the City of New York. https://www.nyc.gov/site/fdny/news/03-25/fdny-commissioner-robert-s-tuc…
11 Waste Reduction and Diversion. (2025). NH Department of Environmental Services. https://www.des.nh.gov/waste/solid-waste/waste-reduction-anddiversion#t…
12 New Hampshire HB1386 | 2024 | Regular Session. (2024). LegiScan. https://legiscan.com/NH/text/HB1386/2024