West Goshen Township will collect rechargeable and lithium batteries for free on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the township building at 1025 Paoli Pike, West Chester.
The drop-off runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Residents can bring rechargeable and lithium batteries to the building's parking area for disposal.
The township warns that lithium batteries can start fires when punctured or damaged, and rechargeable batteries can still hold a charge even after they appear dead. Both types are unsafe for regular household trash, the township said in its event notice. Only alkaline batteries are safe to throw away.
How to prepare
The township asks residents to tape battery terminal ends with clear packing tape or place each loose battery in its own plastic bag before dropping it off. That step helps crews sort the batteries during collection.
What's not accepted
The Sept. 12 event will not take alkaline batteries, lead acid batteries used in cars and boats, any battery larger than 25 pounds, EV batteries, computers, laptops, vapes or cell phones.
Year-round options
Residents who cannot make the Sept. 12 collection have other options. The Chester County Solid Waste Authority maintains a year-round Safe Battery Disposal program and promotes the Battery Safety Now initiative at batterysafetynow.org as a county-level resource. The authority also hosts Household Hazardous Waste Events throughout the year where batteries are accepted.
Contact
Residents with questions can reach Township Manager Christopher Bashore at 610-696-5266, ext. 4126, or [email protected]. The township's main line is 610-696-5266.
