The city of Portland has made it easier to move on when the drum-banging pink bunny finally keels over (read: your batteries die). Starting this month, some Portlanders can set out old batteries for curbside pickup thanks to a new service from the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.
People living in a house, duplex, triplex, or fourplex can recycle batteries that fit in a sealed, quart-sized bag. Here’s what to do:
- Cover the ends of batteries not marked “alkaline” with clear tape before bagging them; alkaline batteries can be bagged without tape
- Set the bag inside your yellow glass recycling bin, on top of other items so it’s easily visible
Some batteries, like those inside cellphones, laptops, and electric toothbrushes, can’t be left for curbside pickup and must be taken to a drop-off center.
By offering curbside battery collection — a service already provided to Ridwell customers — the city aims to lower the risk of battery-caused fires at recycling and waste facilities.