WasteNet has teamed up with Phoenix Metalman to provide a drop-off point for any kind of electronic battery to be disposed of responsibly.
The drop-off point at the Phoenix Metalman site in Bond St, Gore is officially available to the public to use from this morning.
WasteNet manages solid waste disposal and recycling for Invercargill, Gore and Southland.
Gore deputy mayor Keith Howell said there had been eight fires in regional landfills caused by electronic lithium batteries.
"We have responsibility and desire at the same time that the material sent to the landfill is not creating an environmental hazard or giving rise to safety issues or other risks," he said.
A new battery collection unit that mitigated fire risks was being installed at the Phoenix Metalman site.
Phoenix Metalman product stewardship manager Jasmine Faulkner said the unit was made of steel, could contain a fire and had exchangeable fire-resistant liners and a fire suppression system that activated at 68°C.
"This battery collection unit may not look like much, but it serves a remarkable purpose to stop batteries from entering rubbish and waste stream, giving people of Southland the option to recycle the batteries."
The unit could be used to dispose of all batteries, from button cells to hybrid and EV batteries.
Battery types that could be recycled with Phoenix Metalman included lead acid and alkaline zinc household batteries, and lithium, nickel metal hydride and nickel-cadmium batteries.
Batteries that weighed up to 20kg would be free to dispose of and the cost would be covered by WasteNet, while anything more than 20kg would have a charge.
Lithium batteries were now banned in the waste stream to landfill, due to the fire hazard.
As well as the drop-off point, WasteNet had also entered into an agreement with Mitre 10 for the disposal of household batteries at the Invercargill, Te Anau, Winton and Gore stores.
