1. What not to do ... When you’ve finished with your batteries, don’t open them up or try and pour out the liquid contents. Leave the batteries as they are and sealed. It is considered an offence to pour liquid wastes onto soil or into a waterway. Don’t try and evaporate the contents either.

2. Where to store ... Store old batteries inside, undercover, on sealed floor and in an area where, if they were to spill, their contents couldn’t go outside. This may mean putting them in a tray in a wash bay, or leaving them inside your workshop (if the workshop has a liquid barrier – bund – across the front). Pay attention to where the batteries would run to if there was a leak (even if there is only a small chance of a leak happening). If it could run outside, to a stormwater drain or to soil, then they are in the wrong place.

3. How to dispose of them ... Don’t through old batteries into your general rubbish bin. This is illegal. Batteries need to be taken away by a company that is licensed to do so because batteries are considered to be “hazardous waste”. These companies should also give you a receipt. If you don’t have a company that can do this for you, look in the MTA Green Stamp “Environmental Product and Services Directory” on the Green Stamp website: www.greenstamp.mtansw.com.au.

This Directory lists companies that can take away your wastes in the area where your business is.

Batteries may look small but they can do a lot of damage if handled the wrong way due to the acid that is inside them.

Avoid using them as door stops or leaving them out the back where they could cause damage – store them responsibly and have them removed legally.

If you have any further questions contact Sophie Luttrell at the MTA on 02 9213 4231.