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How to Recycle UPS Battery Backups
Check local acceptanceLast reviewed October 24, 2026
Quick answer
Uninterruptible power supplies combine electronics with a rechargeable battery. Donate a working unit, or take the whole unit to an electronics recycler; Staples currently lists battery backup devices in its U.S. in-store recycling program for personal customers (check local store terms). If the battery is designed for user removal, recycle it separately by its chemistry. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Check locally
Desktop and small-office uninterruptible power supplies containing circuit boards and sealed lead-acid or lithium-ion batteries.
How to dispose of UPS batteries
Take the battery to a battery retailer, an electronics recycler that lists UPS units, or a household hazardous waste program. Do not put it in the trash or the curbside cart. Many home and office UPS units use sealed lead-acid batteries, which go back to a battery retailer or local household hazardous waste collection.
Check the label before you go. A sealed lead-acid pack is heavy and usually carries an SLA, VRLA, or Pb marking. Newer units may use lithium-ion, which needs a drop-off that takes lithium batteries. The Battery Network, formerly Call2Recycle, runs a free drop-off locator at call2recycle.org, but confirm the site takes your battery's size and chemistry, because a small-battery bin may not take a UPS pack.
Tape the terminals, put a swollen or leaking battery in a sealed plastic container, and remove the battery only if the UPS has a battery door meant for owners to open. If the site wants the whole unit, bring it with the battery inside.
Where to Recycle
- Electronics recyclers
- Battery recyclers for removable packs
- Manufacturer take-back
- Household hazardous-waste programs
How to Prepare
- 1Shut down connected equipment and unplug the UPS
- 2Let the unit cool
- 3Remove a user-serviceable battery only by following the manual
- 4Tape exposed battery terminals
- 5Mark swollen, leaking, or damaged batteries for special handling
Special Instructions
A UPS can remain electrically energized after unplugging. Follow the manufacturer's shutdown and user-service instructions; do not open the power-electronics section. Tell the recycler whether you have the complete UPS or only a removed battery, and read the battery label rather than assuming every unit uses the same chemistry. Sealed lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries can require different collection routes. Remove a battery only through a compartment explicitly designed for user replacement, protect exposed terminals, and obtain separate instructions for leaking, swollen, or damaged packs. Do not put the unit or its battery in curbside recycling.
Environmental Impact
Recycling recovers lead or lithium battery materials, copper, and circuit-board metals while reducing battery-fire and toxic-metal risks.
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
Hazardous Components
- Sealed lead-acid or lithium-ion battery
- Energized capacitors
- Circuit boards
FAQs
Where can I recycle UPS batteries rather than the whole backup unit?
Read the battery's chemistry label and ask a battery recycler, manufacturer take-back program, or hazardous-waste collector whether it accepts that chemistry, size, and condition. A portable-battery bin may not accept a heavy sealed lead-acid UPS pack. Protect exposed terminals and use only a compartment designed for user replacement; do not dismantle the UPS electronics.
Can I recycle a UPS with the battery still inside?
An electronics collector may accept the complete unit, but confirm before visiting and describe its battery and condition. If it requires battery removal, follow the manufacturer's user-service instructions or use a service professional. Keep leaking or damaged batteries out of ordinary collection bins and request specific handling instructions.
Related recycling guides
- How to recycle Computers
- How to recycle Power Adapters
- How to recycle Lead-Acid Batteries (Small)
- How to recycle Lithium-Ion Batteries
- How to recycle Servers & Data-Center Equipment
- How to recycle E-Bike Batteries
- How to recycle Smartwatches & Fitness Trackers
- How to recycle CDs and DVDs
- How to recycle Routers, Modems & Network Equipment
- How to recycle Smartphones
Recycle ups battery backups
Search recycling centers by city or ZIP, or explore more electronics materials.
Sources
- U.S. EPA, Used Household Batteries (updated July 21, 2026). Checked October 24, 2026.
- The Battery Network (formerly Call2Recycle), Drop-off locator. Checked October 24, 2026.