Urbana offers a drop-off battery recycling program.
Battery Recycling Requirements
The following battery types must have terminal ends taped with Scotch tape or electrical tape before being deposited into the battery recycling collection tube or bin:
- All rechargeable batteries
- Button cell batteries
- Lithium batteries
Alkaline batteries do not need to be taped.
The following batteries are NOT accepted:
- Car or truck batteries
- Batteries weighing more than five pounds
- Batteries from businesses or institutions
- Batteries embedded within a device such as vape pens or electric toothbrushes, etc
- Recalled batteries
- IPASS Transponders
Battery Recycling Locations
Urbana has five battery recycling drop-off locations:
Anita Purves Nature Center
1505 North Broadway Avenue
217-384-4062
Phillips Recreation Center
505 West Stoughton Street
217-367-1544
Urbana City Building (Vine Street entrance)
400 South Vine Street
217-384-2302
Urbana Free Library
210 West Green Street
217-367-4057
Urbana Public Works
706 Glover Avenue
217-384-2302
On January 1, 2026, some retailers in Illinois are required to offer free battery recycling for household single-use and rechargeable batteries, per the Portable and Medium-Format Battery Stewardship Act (IL SB 3686). Currently three local retailers offer battery recycling in addition to the City of Urbana’s battery recycling drop-off program. Please call ahead to each retailer if you have questions:
Home Depot
820 Bloomington Rd., Champaign
217-356-2629
Lowes
1904 N. Prospect Ave., Champaign
217-373-7300
Staples
2005 N. Prospect Ave., Champaign
217-373-8490