State Bans Lithium-Ion Battery Landfill Disposal
North Carolina's landfill ban on lithium-ion batteries takes effect December 1, with Lowe's stores accepting them for proper disposal.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
Beginning December 1, North Carolina will prohibit lithium-ion batteries from being disposed of at landfills, including the Robeson County Landfill near St. Pauls. Residents can take the batteries to Lowe's Home Improvement stores for proper disposal.
Why it matters
The ban is intended to reduce fire risk from damaged or overheated lithium-ion batteries, which burn hotter and are more toxic than gasoline fires. Lithium-ion batteries power many everyday rechargeable devices, from hearing aids to electric cars, so the rule affects a wide range of households.
The landfill disposal ban on lithium-ion batteries takes effect on December 1, and the ban is enforced through state law. The extraction does not report the number of batteries affected or the volume of battery waste in the state.
The players
Lowe's Home Improvement
Lowe's Home Improvement is a national home-improvement retailer whose stores accept lithium-ion batteries for disposal under the state program.
Robeson County Landfill
The Robeson County Landfill is a waste disposal facility near St. Pauls, North Carolina, that falls under the new state ban.
The details
Lithium-ion batteries can be taken to Lowe's Home Improvement stores for disposal instead of landfills. The ban applies to facilities such as the Robeson County Landfill near St. Pauls, and officials expect proper disposal to help recover critical materials from batteries.
Timeline
December 1: Landfill disposal ban on lithium-ion batteries takes effect in North Carolina.
Roadmap
North Carolina's landfill ban on lithium-ion batteries is a state-level rule that places battery disposal under specific statutory limits. It follows the growing use of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and other rechargeable devices, which is the trend the state is responding to with this rule.
Residents with lithium-ion batteries from devices or vehicles will need to take them to a facility such as a Lowe's Home Improvement store instead of putting them in household trash. The change applies starting December 1, giving households about four weeks to plan disposal.
The takeaway
Store and dispose of lithium-ion batteries carefully, since damaged or overheated batteries pose a fire risk. Plan to take used batteries to a retailer that accepts them before December 1.
What happens next
The landfill disposal ban on lithium-ion batteries takes effect December 1.
Further reading
For more on the batteries powering this change, see Electric Vehicles coverage.
More information
Find state lithium-ion battery safe storage and handling information before disposing of batteries.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Robesonian.
