---
title: "What goes to shop or manufacturer take-back"
description: "15 things that belong in shop or manufacturer take-back, with why each one goes there and what happens if it goes elsewhere."
url: https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/retailer-takeback/
site: "At One Place"
---

# What goes to shop or manufacturer take-back

15 things that belong in shop or manufacturer take-back.

| Item | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) | Battery collection point — a supermarket or DIY store box, or the household waste centre. Never the kerbside bin. |
| Lithium-ion batteries | Battery or WEEE collection point only. A lithium cell in a bin lorry is a fire, not a littering problem. |
| Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes | A vape shop or supermarket take-back bin. It is electrical waste with a lithium cell inside, not litter. |
| Mobile phones | Wipe it, then trade it in, donate it or hand it to an electricals take-back point. |
| Disposable coffee cups | Not the kerbside bin. Take them to a shop cup collection point, or general waste — the lid and sleeve recycle separately. |
| Button and coin cells | Battery collection point. Tape them first — and keep them away from small children until they go. |
| Coffee pods and capsules | Brand take-back scheme if aluminium; general waste for most plastic pods. Compostable ones need a food waste collection. |
| Rechargeable batteries (NiMH, NiCd) | Battery collection point. NiCd cells contain cadmium and are hazardous waste in most jurisdictions. |
| Laptops and computers | Wipe the drive, then donate, trade in or take it to WEEE recycling. The battery makes binning it a fire risk. |
| Printer cartridges | Manufacturer freepost return or a shop collection box. Not the kerbside bin. |
| Tyres | Tyre fitter or household waste centre, usually for a small fee. They are banned from landfill in the UK and EU. |
| Power banks and portable chargers | Small electricals collection or a battery take-back point. It is a lithium cell in a plastic shell. |
| Propane and patio gas cylinders | Back to the supplier or exchange point. Refillable cylinders are almost never yours to scrap. |
| Bubble wrap and postal air pillows | Soft plastics collection at a supermarket, or reuse it. Not the kerbside bin. |
| Toys and gadgets with batteries inside | Take the batteries out and deal with them separately; the toy then goes in small electricals. Sealed ones go in whole. |

- [Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V)](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/batteries/) — Battery collection point — a supermarket or DIY store box, or the household waste centre. Never the kerbside bin.
- [Lithium-ion batteries](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/lithium-batteries/) — Battery or WEEE collection point only. A lithium cell in a bin lorry is a fire, not a littering problem.
- [Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/vapes/) — A vape shop or supermarket take-back bin. It is electrical waste with a lithium cell inside, not litter.
- [Mobile phones](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/mobile-phones/) — Wipe it, then trade it in, donate it or hand it to an electricals take-back point.
- [Disposable coffee cups](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/coffee-cups/) — Not the kerbside bin. Take them to a shop cup collection point, or general waste — the lid and sleeve recycle separately.
- [Button and coin cells](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/button-cells/) — Battery collection point. Tape them first — and keep them away from small children until they go.
- [Coffee pods and capsules](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/coffee-pods/) — Brand take-back scheme if aluminium; general waste for most plastic pods. Compostable ones need a food waste collection.
- [Rechargeable batteries (NiMH, NiCd)](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/rechargeable-batteries/) — Battery collection point. NiCd cells contain cadmium and are hazardous waste in most jurisdictions.
- [Laptops and computers](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/laptops/) — Wipe the drive, then donate, trade in or take it to WEEE recycling. The battery makes binning it a fire risk.
- [Printer cartridges](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/printer-cartridges/) — Manufacturer freepost return or a shop collection box. Not the kerbside bin.
- [Tyres](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/tyres/) — Tyre fitter or household waste centre, usually for a small fee. They are banned from landfill in the UK and EU.
- [Power banks and portable chargers](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/power-banks/) — Small electricals collection or a battery take-back point. It is a lithium cell in a plastic shell.
- [Propane and patio gas cylinders](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/propane-cylinders/) — Back to the supplier or exchange point. Refillable cylinders are almost never yours to scrap.
- [Bubble wrap and postal air pillows](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/bubble-wrap/) — Soft plastics collection at a supermarket, or reuse it. Not the kerbside bin.
- [Toys and gadgets with batteries inside](https://atoneplace.net/where-does-it-go/battery-toys/) — Take the batteries out and deal with them separately; the toy then goes in small electricals. Sealed ones go in whole.