Lowe's Recycling Centers and Battery Recycling
Lowe's stores have recycling centers for rechargeable batteries, cell phones and plastic planter pots; Lowe's pages do not describe a trade-in program.
By Olivia HarperContributing writer. Policy checked .
On this page
Store services change. This is a summary in our own words of the Store Services page on Lowes.com, read on October 26, 2026, plus two older articles from the Lowe's corporate newsroom. Services vary by store, so ask at your local Lowe's before you bring a load in.
What Lowe's says its recycling centers take
Lowe's Store Services page says the company runs in-store recycling centers. The examples it gives:
| Item | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Rechargeable batteries | In-store recycling center |
| Cell phones | In-store recycling center |
| Plastic planter pots | Recycling, per Lowe's Store Services page |
A Lowe's newsroom article from November 2019 adds two more items for the recycling center, plastic shopping bags and CFL bulbs, and says plastic planter pots and cases go back to the garden center. It describes the recycling center as usually sitting near the front entrance. The current Store Services page does not list bags or CFLs, so check that your store still takes them.
Battery recycling at Lowe's
Rechargeable batteries are the main item. The 2019 article tells shoppers to follow the instructions posted at the recycling center when dropping them off. A 2014 Lowe's press release says the company began working with Call2Recycle, a battery collection program, in 2004, and later added the in-store recycling centers.
Two kinds of battery are a different story:
- Alkaline batteries (the kind often found in toys, electronics and flashlights): the 2019 Lowe's article calls them unrecyclable and says they go in the trash. Your local rules may differ, so check with your city.
- Damaged or swollen batteries: none of the Lowe's pages we read cover them. Ask the store or your local hazardous waste site rather than putting them in a bin.
Electronics and old appliances
Beyond the recycling center, the Store Services page points to state programs: it says many states offer ways to donate or recycle old electronics and links to a list by state. Lowe's does not list TVs, computers or large appliances as items for its in-store bins.
Is there a Lowe's trade-in program?
None of the Lowe's pages we read describe a trade-in program that gives store credit for old tools, phones or appliances. Lowe's recycling centers take items for free recycling, not for credit. If you want money back for an old device, look at stores that run trade-in programs, such as the ones in our Best Buy recycling and trade-in guide.
Tips before you go
- Call or check your store's page first; services vary by location.
- Read the instructions posted at the recycling center before you drop off batteries.
- Wipe your data and remove the SIM card before you drop off an old phone.
- Keep alkaline batteries and household trash out of the recycling center bins.
Sources
Store Services, Lowe's (checked October 26, 2026); Lowe's answers your recycling FAQs, Lowe's newsroom (November 15, 2019); 3 Million and Counting, Lowe's newsroom (April 24, 2014).