Australians have increased access to safe battery recycling, according to new data released by the Battery Stewardship Council through B-cycle’s latest Positive Charge Report, which outlines the current reach and performance of the national voluntary battery stewardship scheme.
The report shows that the B-cycle Scheme now includes more than 5,400 battery drop-off points across Australia, located at supermarkets, hardware stores, councils, retailers and community sites.
Independent access modelling cited in the report indicates that around 95 per cent of Australians live within a 15-minute drive of a B-cycle drop-off point, improving convenience for households seeking to recycle used batteries.
The findings also point to increasing consumer awareness of battery recycling and safe disposal practices. According to the Battery Stewardship Council, this trend reflects continued public education efforts, retailer participation, and collaboration with industry and local government.
B-cycle chief executive Libby Chaplin said the data demonstrated both the progress made under the current voluntary scheme and the challenges ahead.
“B-cycle is delivering real outcomes for Australians, with strong access, broad participation and growing awareness,” Chaplin said.
“People can recycle their batteries safely and conveniently in more places than ever before.”
At the same time, the report identifies gaps that remain across the battery lifecycle. It states that further growth in battery use, particularly lithium batteries, is increasing safety risks when batteries are incorrectly stored or disposed of, including fires in household bins, collection vehicles and waste facilities.
Lithium batteries now account for a growing share of batteries entering Australian homes, based on updated material flow analysis included in the report.
The Battery Stewardship Council said B-cycle works with industry, governments, waste operators and fire and rescue agencies to provide guidance and safety messaging aimed at reducing these risks.
According to the report, these operational partnerships play an important role as battery volumes and complexity increase.
The report also notes that where participation across the battery lifecycle is incomplete, safety risks and costs can fall disproportionately on households, waste operators and companies that are actively contributing to the scheme. This, it says, reinforces the case for stronger and more consistent regulatory settings.
Chaplin said the experience of operating under voluntary arrangements highlighted the need for national regulation.
“To build on this success and ensure responsibility is shared across the entire battery lifecycle, mandatory regulation is essential,” she said.
According to the report, the number of batteries placed on the Australian market and reaching end of life has stabilised following a post-COVID surge, which the Battery Stewardship Council attributes to a maturing system and improved data confidence.
It reports a verified material recovery rate of 62.1 per cent for the 2024–25 financial year, calculated using data that could be validated under the AS5377 audit framework.
Where recycler-specific evidence could not be independently verified, the scheme applied conservative industry benchmarks.
The Battery Stewardship Council said recyclers participating under the scheme’s ACCC authorisation are required to provide verifiable information and that B-cycle is working with recyclers to improve data quality.
Internal modelling cited in the report suggests the underlying recovery rate may be higher, with figures to be updated as further verified information becomes available.
Looking ahead, the report outlines plans for B-cycle 2.0, which has been designed to expand coverage to embedded batteries, support more consistent financial flows and clarify obligations across the supply chain.
The Battery Stewardship Council said full implementation of these changes depends on regulated settings that support fair and effective participation.
Recent action by the NSW Government under the Product Lifecycle Responsibility Act is highlighted in the report as an example of how regulation could strengthen stewardship outcomes.
“NSW has shown that stewardship reform can move from principle to practice,” Chaplin said. “As battery use continues to accelerate, nationally consistent regulation will be critical to ensure the system remains effective, fair and fit for purpose for all Australians.”
