Michigan landfills absorb more than 10,000 tons of used batteries annually, according to a gap analysis released by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).

The analysis, performed for EGLE by Resource Recycling Systems, surveyed how Michigan residents dispose of spent batteries. Researchers found widespread confusion, with most users either tossing cells in household trash or co-mingling them with curbside recycling rather than routing them to dedicated collection points.

EGLE advises against placing rechargeable and lithium-ion batteries in curbside trash or recycling streams. The department's safe-battery-disposal guidance warns that these power sources can hold enough residual charge to spark and ignite fires during collections or at processing facilities.

What barriers does the report identify?

The report flags four structural obstacles. Local governments deliver inconsistent guidance on battery handling. Drop-off sites and retail take-back programs remain thin outside population centers.

Recycling funding lacks stable support, leaving municipal programs vulnerable to budget cycles. Producer responsibility legislation is absent, so manufacturers do not currently finance end-of-life management.

The combined effect: batteries containing recoverable metals and hazardous chemistries continue moving toward landfill rather than recovery streams, foregoing both commodity value and fire-risk reduction.

What policy steps did EGLE recommend?

EGLE's Materials Management Division outlined six near-term actions:

• Establish an advisory group to guide policy and program development.
• Assess and expand existing recovery infrastructure.
• Explore extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation for sustainable funding.
• Improve access to recycling drop-off locations.
• Coordinate statewide education and outreach.
• Expand capacity for battery recovery and processing.

The department said it intends to develop a comprehensive strategy drawing on the gap analysis and input from industry stakeholders, local governments, and community organizations.

How is EGLE responding now?

EGLE will launch a battery solutions accelerator through its NextCycle Michigan initiative later this year. The accelerator targets entrepreneurs, municipal programs, and tribal governments developing collection, sorting, and processing capacity for both consumer cells and electric vehicle battery packs. EGLE also hosts a state-funded locator that connects households to the nearest drop-off site.

"Batteries — both consumer and electric vehicle batteries — are a unique opportunity for Michigan based on our strong roots in industry and the investments we've made toward a circular economy," Julie Staveland, assistant director of EGLE's Materials Management Division, said in a statement. "We are well positioned to implement best practices for proper battery management to mitigate safety and environmental risks while reaping the benefits of jobs across the battery recovery and recycling value chain. We are taking action to ensure that we keep our residents safe, capture valuable materials, and build a stronger local economy."

What's the regulatory milestone to watch?

The next decision point is whether Michigan advances extended producer responsibility legislation. EPR would shift end-of-life battery financing from ratepayers and municipalities to the manufacturers that place cells on the market.

EGLE's analysis treats EPR as the funding mechanism that unlocks the rest of the action plan — particularly expanded drop-off access and processor capacity. Until the legislature acts, the report's recommendations remain directional rather than enforceable.

State agencies will track progress through the NextCycle battery solutions accelerator, which is expected to begin cohort intake before the end of 2025.