Battery collection drives
Drop-off points at schools, community centers, and local businesses. AA, AAA, 9V, lithium, rechargeables, no prep needed.
Power the future.
Recycle today.
Batteries4Better is a student-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit running community battery collection drives, keeping heavy metals out of landfills and bringing recycling infrastructure to schools and neighborhoods.
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Volunteers powering drives across communities
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batteries recycled
Our mission
Recycling. Done better.
We collect, transport, and process used batteries through EPA-certified partners, bringing a missing piece of recycling infrastructure to every school and community we touch.
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Batteries collected
across the network
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Drive events
hosted to date
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Communities
served and growing
About Batteries4Better
A drawer-sized problem with a community-sized fix.
Batteries4Better is a student-led 501(c)(3) working to reduce the environmental impact of improperly disposed batteries. Small actions, repeated by enough people, become real change, and it starts with the AAs sitting in your junk drawer.
Founded by students who noticed a gap in local recycling infrastructure, we run community collection drives, partner with certified recyclers, and teach the public why dead batteries shouldn't end up in landfills.
- EPA-certified recycling partners
- 100% of collected batteries diverted from landfills
- Run entirely by students, by design
Our work
What we do, in six parts.
From the bin on a school lobby table to the EPA-certified recycler down the highway, the full chain.
Certified recycling
Every battery we collect is transported to EPA-certified partners. Heavy metals stay out of soil and water.
Community education
Workshops, school visits, and social campaigns. Awareness is half of the fix.
Local partnerships
Municipalities, businesses, and schools, building lasting collection infrastructure at the community layer.
Impact tracking
Transparent reports on what's collected, what's diverted, and the carbon math behind it.
Youth leadership
B4B is run by students, building a pipeline of organizers, advocates, and future climate leaders.
Our partners
Trusted by schools and community organizations.
B4B works with schools, businesses, and municipalities. Your organization could be next.
The Villages of Charter Colony
Midlothian residential community hosting a collection bin for residents.
Maggie L. Walker Governor's School
Richmond magnet school running student-led campus drives.
National Honor Society
Student honor society chapters mobilizing volunteers.
Call2Recycle
National battery recycling network we route collections into.
The Home Depot
Retail drop-off network giving the public local access points.
Staples
Office retail drop-off partner supporting community access.
YMCA of Greater Richmond
Local Richmond YMCA hosting on-site collection bins for members.
Midlothian High School
Chesterfield County high school hosting a B4B student chapter.
Our story
How it all started.
Batteries4Better started with something small. A drawer full of old batteries that nobody knew what to do with. Like most people, we used batteries every day without thinking much about where they ended up. Dead batteries were tossed away, forgotten, or left sitting around the house.
But once we learned how harmful battery waste can be to the environment, it became hard to ignore. We realized that the problem was not that people did not care. Most people simply did not know where to recycle batteries or how important it was. Even in our own schools and neighborhoods, there were very few easy ways to recycle them.
That feeling stayed with us. We knew that if something so common was being overlooked everywhere, even a small effort could make a difference. What started as a simple idea became a mission to help people take action and make battery recycling easier for everyone.
We began organizing drives, spreading awareness, and working with students and communities who wanted to help create change. Today, Batteries4Better is more than just a project. It is a growing movement powered by students who believe small actions can lead to a better future.
2024
Founded
Our founders
Meet the team.
Two students who got tired of asking where their dead batteries should go.
Prithvi Chakraborty
Co-founder
Abhinav Mehta
Co-founder
Fund the mission
Every dollar moves another battery out of a landfill.
Recycling logistics (transport, certified processing, bins, signage) cost real money. Your donation keeps every drive free for the public.
Tax-deductible · 501(c)(3)
Donations route through our secure intake form. Batteries4Better is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, your gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Frequently asked
Questions, answered.
If you don't see your question here, send us an email, we'll get back to you within a couple of days.
What kinds of batteries do you accept?
AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, button-cell, lithium primary, and rechargeable batteries (Li-ion, NiMH, NiCd). We do not currently accept car batteries or large industrial cells, for those, contact your local hazardous waste facility.
Where can I drop off my batteries?
B4B operates collection bins at partner schools, businesses, and community centers across our five operating communities. Email us with your zip code and we'll point you to the closest one, or arrange a pickup if there isn't one nearby.
How do I host a drive at my school or business?
Fill out our partner intake form and we'll send a labeled collection bin, signage, and a step-by-step playbook within 1–2 weeks. We handle pickup and transport to the certified recycler, you provide the space.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. Batteries4Better is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. We'll send you a receipt within 7 days of your contribution.
Can I volunteer if I'm not a student?
Absolutely. While B4B is student-led, we welcome volunteers of all ages, especially parents, retirees, and community organizers. Email us and we'll plug you into the next drive.
How do you ensure batteries actually get recycled?
Every load we collect is transported to EPA-certified recycling partners. We publish quarterly reports listing weights collected, partners used, and the diversion percentage, all open data.
Get in touch
Questions, partnerships, or just curious?
We answer every email, usually within a couple of days. For drive logistics and bin requests, the form is the fastest route.
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Service areaVirginia & growing