Batteries and rechargeable batteries do not belong in household waste. As a distributor of batteries – including batteries built into products – we are obliged under the German Battery Act (Batterierecht-Durchführungsgesetz, BattDG) and the EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 to inform you about the following.
Free return of waste batteries
You can return waste batteries to us free of charge. Our take-back point is our dispatch warehouse:
People’s Store
operated by UPRAIL GmbH
Richard-Byrd-Str. 12
50829 Cologne
Germany
You can also hand in waste batteries free of charge at municipal collection points (e.g. recycling centres) or at retailers that sell batteries. Please note that sending batteries by post is subject to dangerous goods regulations; damaged lithium batteries in particular must not be sent by post.
Your legal obligation
As an end user, you are legally obliged to return waste batteries. Waste batteries must be disposed of separately from unsorted household waste.
Meaning of the symbols
The symbol of the crossed-out wheeled bin means that the battery must not be disposed of with household waste.
A chemical symbol below the bin indicates that the battery contains more than 0.002 % cadmium (Cd) or more than 0.004 % lead (Pb) by weight. Older batteries may also bear the symbol Hg, which means that the battery contains more than 0.0005 % mercury.
- “Cd” stands for cadmium.
- “Hg” stands for mercury.
- “Pb” stands for lead.
Waste prevention and re-use
You can help to avoid waste: use rechargeable batteries where possible, store and charge batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions and use them for as long as possible. Separately collected waste batteries can, where possible, be prepared for re-use or repurposing; otherwise they are recycled.
Why separate collection matters
Batteries contain valuable raw materials such as iron, zinc, nickel, cobalt or lithium, which can be recovered through recycling. Separate collection is therefore an important contribution to environmental protection and the conservation of resources.
Safety information for lithium batteries
Lithium batteries (e.g. lithium-ion batteries) can catch fire or explode if they are damaged, short-circuited, exposed to heat or charged improperly. Before returning them, tape over the terminals of lithium batteries or put each battery in a separate plastic bag to prevent short circuits. Remove batteries from devices before disposal if this is possible without destroying them. Handle damaged, swollen or leaking batteries with particular care and hand them in at a collection point.
Effects on the environment and health
Batteries can contain substances that are harmful to the environment and to human health, such as heavy metals (e.g. cadmium, lead or mercury) or flammable and corrosive electrolytes. If batteries are disposed of improperly – for example with household waste or in nature – these substances can escape and pollute soil and water. Batteries in household waste can also cause fires in waste collection vehicles and sorting plants.
