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- Stop using or charging a swollen, dented, leaking, burned, or unusually hot lithium-ion battery. Do not puncture, squeeze, open, or remove an embedded battery.
- Keep the battery away from people, pets, heat, and flammable materials while you contact your municipality, the manufacturer, or Call2Recycle about damaged-battery handling.
- Never put a damaged lithium-ion battery in household garbage, a curbside recycling bin, or a regular battery collection box. If it is smoking, hissing, very hot, or on fire, leave the area and call 911.
What to do first if a lithium-ion battery is swollen or damaged
A swollen, dented, leaking, burned, or unusually hot lithium-ion battery should be treated as damaged and potentially hazardous. The safest first step is to stop using it immediately. Do not charge it, test it, puncture it, press on the swelling, or try to repair the battery yourself.
Health Canada lists swelling, dents, torn plastic wrapping, and other visible damage as reasons not to use a lithium-ion battery. These batteries can develop an internal short circuit, overheat, catch fire, or explode. They are common in phones, laptops, power banks, power tools, e-bikes, scooters, toys, and mobility devices.
If the battery is smoking, hissing, sparking, giving off a strong or unusual smell, rapidly getting hotter, or already burning, do not handle it. Move people and pets away if you can do so without passing close to the battery, leave the area, and call 911. Do not put yourself at risk trying to carry a burning battery outside.
Call 911 for an immediate battery fire emergency
How to isolate the battery safely
If there is no immediate sign of fire and you can handle the situation without forcing or damaging the battery, place the device or removable battery in a cool, dry location away from paper, bedding, clothing, gasoline, propane, and other flammable materials. A non-combustible area such as a concrete floor is preferable. Keep children and pets away.
Do not store a damaged battery in a vehicle, on a balcony in direct sun, beside a furnace, or near an exit route. Do not put it in a freezer or refrigerator. Avoid moving it more than necessary, especially if the battery is leaking, cracked, badly swollen, or physically crushed.
For temporary storage, Call2Recycle Canada advises using non-flammable material such as sand or kitty litter while you arrange a safe drop-off. That is temporary risk reduction, not a method for making the battery safe to recycle in an ordinary collection box.
Do not remove a battery that is built into the device
Phones, tablets, laptops, e-cigarettes, some power stations, and many e-bikes have batteries that are not designed for consumer removal. Do not pry open the case or use a screwdriver to reach a swollen pack. A puncture or short circuit can trigger a fire.
Keep the device intact and contact the manufacturer, retailer, authorized repair service, or your municipal waste facility for instructions. Tell them clearly that the device contains a swollen or damaged lithium-ion battery.
Where to take a damaged lithium-ion battery in Canada
Canada does not have one universal consumer drop-off rule for every damaged battery. Health Canada says batteries are hazardous waste and directs households to check with their municipality. The correct destination may be a municipal household hazardous-waste depot, a special damaged-battery program, or a designated facility that can arrange a Call2Recycle damaged, defective, and recalled battery kit.
Do not assume that a nearby store accepting ordinary rechargeable batteries can accept a swollen battery. Regular collection boxes are not designed for damaged lithium-ion batteries. Call the location before travelling and describe the condition, chemistry, size, and whether the battery is inside a device.
Recycle Your Batteries, Canada provides a postal-code locator for regular battery and battery-powered-product drop-off options. Its instructions specifically say that damaged, defective, or recalled batteries should be handled through a local municipal waste depot so safe drop-off can be arranged. Select facilities may have the special packaging required for damaged lithium-ion batteries.
If you cannot identify the chemistry or find a suitable municipal contact, Call2Recycle Canada lists customer support at 1-888-224-9764. Ask whether the battery requires damaged, defective, and recalled battery handling before transporting it.
What not to do with a swollen or leaking battery
- Do not put it in household garbage or a curbside recycling bin.
- Do not place it in a regular Call2Recycle collection box unless the receiving facility specifically tells you to do so.
- Do not charge it, discharge it, connect it to a device, or try to “use up” the remaining power.
- Do not puncture, crush, bend, open, tape tightly around, or submerge it.
- Do not mail or ship it on your own.
- Do not leave it at a retailer without confirming that the retailer accepts damaged batteries.
- Do not put it in water or salt water. Improvised immersion can create additional hazards and does not replace proper disposal.
Household garbage and recycling systems can compact, crush, or otherwise damage batteries. A battery that seems inactive can still contain enough energy to start a fire in a garbage truck, transfer station, landfill, or recycling facility.
Regular battery recycling versus damaged-battery disposal
This is the distinction that causes the most confusion: a used battery is not automatically a damaged battery.
| Battery condition | Typical next step | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| Used but intact lithium-ion battery | Use a participating battery-recycling or household hazardous-waste site. | Follow the site’s instructions for terminal protection and accepted battery types. |
| Swollen, leaking, dented, burned, or cracked lithium-ion battery | Contact the municipality or a damaged-battery program before drop-off. | Do not use a standard collection box. |
| Battery inside a damaged device | Contact the manufacturer, retailer, repair provider, or municipal waste facility. | Do not remove an embedded battery yourself. |
| Recalled battery or device | Check the recall notice and follow the manufacturer’s specific instructions. | Some recalled batteries have no visible damage. |
For an intact removable battery, a collection site may ask you to protect the terminals with non-metallic tape or place the battery in an individual bag. Do not apply those ordinary recycling steps to a battery that is swollen, leaking, burned, or otherwise damaged unless the receiving program gives you specific instructions.
Check for a recall before arranging disposal
A damaged battery may be defective, but it may also be part of a product recall. Recalled batteries are identified by details such as the brand, model, serial number, production batch, or lot code. A recall can include batteries that look normal, so visible damage is not the only warning sign.
Have the product name, model number, serial number, and purchase information ready. Check the manufacturer’s safety or recall page and Health Canada’s recalls and safety alerts database. If the product is recalled, follow the recall instructions instead of sending it through ordinary recycling.
Special cases: e-bikes, scooters, tools, and mobility devices
Larger battery packs deserve extra caution because they contain more cells and more stored energy. This includes e-bike and scooter batteries, mobility-device packs, lawn-equipment batteries, large power-tool packs, and home energy-storage systems.
Do not carry a swollen or damaged large battery on public transit, take it on an airplane, or put it in checked baggage. Transport Canada says damaged or defective lithium batteries can be dangerous to transport and may be prohibited from air transport. Ask the manufacturer or municipal facility about collection arrangements before moving the pack.
For an e-bike or scooter with a battery that cannot be safely removed, leave the device unused in a safe location and contact the brand or local waste authority. Do not continue riding it to a recycling site.
A practical decision checklist
- Stop: unplug the device and stop using or charging the battery.
- Assess: if there is smoke, fire, hissing, rapid heating, or a strong unusual smell, leave and call 911.
- Isolate: if there is no immediate fire danger, keep the battery in a cool, dry, non-flammable area away from people and combustible materials.
- Identify: note whether it is lithium-ion, whether it is removable, and whether it is part of a recalled product.
- Call first: contact your municipality or receiving facility and say that the battery is damaged, defective, or recalled.
- Transport only as instructed: use the facility’s approved packaging and route. Never improvise shipping or leave the battery in a regular collection container.
The safest disposal plan depends on the battery’s condition, size, chemistry, and your municipality’s facilities. When in doubt, pause and ask before moving it.
Helpful Links
- Health Canada lithium-ion battery safety – Review Canada's official guidance on damaged batteries, charging, storage, larger battery systems, and disposal.
- Recycle Your Batteries, Canada drop-off locator – Search for battery and battery-powered-product drop-off options by postal code and review the damaged-battery warning.
- Call2Recycle Canada damaged, defective, and recalled batteries – Check special handling guidance for swollen, leaking, burned, defective, or recalled lithium batteries.
- Health Canada recalls and safety alerts – Search current Canadian recalls and safety alerts for batteries, electronics, e-bikes, tools, and other consumer products.
- Transport Canada battery transportation guidance – Review Canadian transportation requirements and restrictions for damaged or defective lithium batteries.
- US EPA lithium-ion battery guidance – For readers in the United States, review EPA guidance on damaged batteries, storage, household disposal, and fire risk.
- 9-1-1 emergency service – Official page referenced in the article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I put a swollen lithium-ion battery in the garbage in Canada?
A. No. Health Canada says lithium-ion batteries should not go in household garbage, and damaged lithium-ion batteries require special handling. Contact your municipality or a designated damaged-battery program before moving the battery.
Q. Should I put a swollen battery in sand or kitty litter?
A. Call2Recycle Canada advises temporarily storing a damaged battery in non-flammable material such as sand or kitty litter while arranging safe drop-off. This is not a substitute for municipal or damaged-battery disposal instructions, and you should not handle a battery that is smoking, hissing, rapidly heating, or burning.
Q. Can I take a swollen laptop or phone battery to a regular battery-recycling box?
A. Not without confirming first. Regular collection boxes are generally intended for intact batteries. A swollen battery or a device containing one may require a special damaged-battery container or municipal hazardous-waste arrangement.
Q. What if the damaged battery is inside my phone, laptop, or e-bike?
A. Do not pry it out unless the manufacturer specifically designed it for safe consumer removal and provides instructions. Stop using and charging the device, keep it away from flammable materials, and contact the manufacturer, retailer, repair provider, or municipal waste facility.
