Batteries Do Not Belong in Torrance Trash or Recycling Carts |
Lithium and household batteries can ignite inside collection trucks and recycling facilities when they are crushed or damaged. |
The Torrance Buzz Weekly
Jul 13, 2026
A small battery can create a major fire when it enters the wrong waste stream.
The City of Torrance warns residents not to place batteries in trash, recycling, or organics carts. Lithium-ion batteries are especially hazardous because crushing, puncturing, or short-circuiting can trigger intense fires inside collection trucks or waste-processing facilities.
The rule applies to batteries found in many everyday items, including:
Residents should take batteries to a participating retailer, a Los Angeles County S.A.F.E. Collection Center, or an approved household hazardous-waste event. Before transporting lithium batteries, the city advises covering the terminals with clear tape or placing each battery in a separate plastic bag to prevent short-circuiting.
Other hazardous household materials—including paint, fluorescent bulbs, electronic waste, pesticides, automotive fluids, medicine, and medical sharps—also require special disposal and should not be placed in ordinary curbside containers.
The city lists permanent collection facilities in San Pedro and Signal Hill, along with links for locating additional approved drop-off options.
Article Link: Find safe battery and hazardous-waste disposal opti |