Lithium-ion batteries power almost everything we own now — phones, vapes, laptops, cordless tools, electric scooters, and e-bikes. They are convenient, but when they reach the end of their life they become one of the most dangerous things you can toss in your trash or recycling bin. In 2026, California rolled out a new law that changes how these batteries are handled, and it affects every household in Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and Orange County. Here is what Southern California residents need to know about disposing of lithium batteries safely and legally.
When a lithium-ion battery is crushed, punctured, or overheated, it can enter “thermal runaway” — a rapid chemical reaction that causes fire or even an explosion. This happens far too often inside garbage trucks and at waste transfer stations across Southern California, putting sanitation workers at risk and causing costly facility fires. A single damaged vape pen or power bank buried in a load of household trash can ignite the entire truck.
Because these batteries are now in so many everyday products, the volume of improperly discarded batteries has climbed sharply. That is exactly the problem California’s new law is designed to solve.
Effective January 1, 2026, California’s SB 1215 expanded the state’s e-waste recycling program to cover “battery-embedded products” — items with a rechargeable battery sealed inside that you cannot easily remove with common household tools. The goal is to reduce battery fires and make sure these products get recycled instead of dumped in the regular waste stream.
Under the law, consumers now pay a small recycling fee when they buy a covered product. The fee is set at 1.5% of the retail price, capped at $15 per item. That money funds free, responsible recycling so you are not charged again when it is time to dispose of the device.
Loose, replaceable batteries — like standard AA, AAA, or button cells — are handled under separate rules, but they should never go in the trash either.
In California, it is illegal to throw any battery — single-use or rechargeable — into your household trash or curbside recycling bin. This includes the lithium batteries sealed inside electronics. Beyond the legal issue, doing so creates a real fire hazard for the workers and trucks that serve your neighborhood, whether you live in Long Beach, Riverside, Anaheim, or anywhere in between.
Most homeowners do not realize how many battery-powered items pile up in the garage. When clearing out clutter, watch for these frequent offenders:
If you are clearing out a garage, finishing a remodel, or cleaning out a home in the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, or Orange County, you will likely uncover a mix of bulky battery-powered items — an old e-bike, a dead electric scooter, a pile of cordless tools, or a tub of outdated electronics. A professional junk removal team makes this easy. We do the heavy lifting, sort recyclable electronics from general junk, and route battery-embedded products to the proper recycling channels so nothing dangerous ends up in a landfill or garbage truck.
Note that loose hazardous batteries and leaking units may need to go through a dedicated HHW facility — but when they come bundled inside larger items during a cleanout, we can handle the heavy, awkward pieces and point you to the right drop-off for anything we cannot legally haul.
Disposing of lithium batteries and the electronics that contain them is now both a legal requirement and a safety must in California. Don’t risk a fire or a fine by tossing them in the bin. Whether you are doing a full garage cleanout or just getting rid of an old e-bike and a box of dead gadgets, 911 Junk CA can help homeowners across Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and Orange County clear it out responsibly. Contact 911 Junk CA today for a fast, free quote.
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