<p>Assuming there are still cells intact, you should try to recycle it. If all the cells have burst and burned up, then it's junk and can be tossed in the trash (perhaps seal it in an extra bag or 2 first).</p>
<p>Where I live, the county operates several waste transfer stations that are open to residents and which specifically accept certain types of hazardous and problematic items (paint, pesticides, old mattresses and box springs, items containing mercury (florescent lights), etc...). Check around and see if anything similar operates where you live, and find out if they will take lithium batteries; the ones in my area accept them.</p>
<p>Last time I made a trip I think I had almost two dozen large lithium cells: 4 multi-cell laptop batteries, several that were swapped out of iPhones, and some others that I'd accumulated over time. They took all of them for free and I didn't even have to get out of the car.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-04T17:38:41.977Z
2022-04-04T17:38:41.977Z
Z4-tier
<p>Soaking in water doesn't work particularly well, unless the water can get to the lithium. It looks like two, maybe three cells are still intact. You could drive a nail through them, attached to a piece of wood for safety, but this will also result in more fire and smoke, so be very careful and do it outside.</p>
<p>My preferred method is to hack my old batteries up with an old machete, and then leave them in a bucket of salty water overnight. Again this can result in fire and flame though so be very careful. I am not particularly orthodox when it comes to battery disposal.</p>
<p>Once all the lithium has oxidised they can be disposed of in the normal rubbish.</p>
<p>For future reference an undamaged, old battery can be completely discharged using one of many gadgets available on the market, then simply binned.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-01T01:06:47.923Z
2022-04-01T01:06:47.923Z
strepto
<p>It caught on fire while charging.</p>
<p>I am not sure if it is fully &quot;discharged&quot; =]</p>
<p>Is it safe to soak it in water first?</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/UYTZA.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/UYTZA.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

<battery-safety>
How to dispose of a burnt lipo battery?
somebody4
# How to dispose of a burnt lipo battery?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-03-27)

It caught on fire while charging.

I am not sure if it is fully "discharged" =]

Is it safe to soak it in water first?

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/UYTZA.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/UYTZA.jpg)

**Tags:** battery-safety


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-04-04. Score: 2

Assuming there are still cells intact, you should try to recycle it. If all the cells have burst and burned up, then it's junk and can be tossed in the trash (perhaps seal it in an extra bag or 2 first).

Where I live, the county operates several waste transfer stations that are open to residents and which specifically accept certain types of hazardous and problematic items (paint, pesticides, old mattresses and box springs, items containing mercury (florescent lights), etc...). Check around and see if anything similar operates where you live, and find out if they will take lithium batteries; the ones in my area accept them.

Last time I made a trip I think I had almost two dozen large lithium cells: 4 multi-cell laptop batteries, several that were swapped out of iPhones, and some others that I'd accumulated over time. They took all of them for free and I didn't even have to get out of the car.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-04-01. Score: 1

Soaking in water doesn't work particularly well, unless the water can get to the lithium. It looks like two, maybe three cells are still intact. You could drive a nail through them, attached to a piece of wood for safety, but this will also result in more fire and smoke, so be very careful and do it outside.

My preferred method is to hack my old batteries up with an old machete, and then leave them in a bucket of salty water overnight. Again this can result in fire and flame though so be very careful. I am not particularly orthodox when it comes to battery disposal.

Once all the lithium has oxidised they can be disposed of in the normal rubbish.

For future reference an undamaged, old battery can be completely discharged using one of many gadgets available on the market, then simply binned.


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