Ecotech Services offers a recycling service for most of the commonly used battery types. Contact us to discuss the recycling of any specialist battery types.
To recycle your batteries in a manner that allows us to keep our prices low and to minimise the effect on the environment collect as many batteries as you are able to store then drop them off to us or contact us for shipping arrangements.
At this stage we do not accept lithium metal or lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) until we can establish the recycling costs.
The prices are based on unpackaged batteries. Contact us for a quote if they require removal from retail or shipping packaging, or from an assembly.
All batteries collected by Ecotech Services are sorted by type, weighed, stored in suitable containers, and stockpiled until sufficient amounts are collected for local sale or overseas processing.
We may require MSDSs unless it is a battery from a well known manufacturer and it is a common type.
Care should be taken with the storage and shipment of batteries. Refer to our shipping instructions for more information. Note that lithium batteries have very stringent shipping conditions and care should be taken with storing individual cells to prevent fire.
Wholesale collection
There is an increasing demand for battery recycling services. Contact us if you are interested in becoming a drop-off point for battery recycling. We can help you by sharing our experience and information. We will also maintain a database of battery recycling drop-off locations once there is sufficient coverage throughout New Zealand.
Our history of battery recycling
The genesis of battery recycling by Ecotech Services began before it started trading. In about 1999 while doing some part time work in Christchurch Alan Liefting heard of a campground proprietor who offered battery recycling to their guests. Since there are many European tourists visiting New Zealand and battery recycling is commonplace in many parts of Europe the proprietor received many queries about battery recycling. Alan contacted one of the major battery importers about it but nothing was forthcoming.
After shifting to Christchurch in 2000 Alan started Ecotech Services and one of the services offered was recycling of all battery types in what is likely to be the first time it was offered in New Zealand. At that time there was not a lot of demand for the service and some consumers said that it should be free. From the outset there was a gradual increase in the quantity of batteries coming in for recycling.
In 2016 Ecotech Services was instrumental in assisting the Lincoln EnviroTown organisation in setting up the first supermarket based battery recycling scheme in New Zealand. Within a few years battery recycling became more prevalent and other organisations began offering the service.
Further information
- Battery recycling at the Ecotech Services knowledge base
- Household battery recycling at Consumer NZ – includes drop off locations