A damaged, defective or recalled lithium battery is one that has swollen, leaked, overheated, been crushed or submerged, failed a manufacturer test or been named in a recall, and it must be isolated and shipped under special rules. These batteries can fail without warning, and they must never go by air. This page explains how to recognize them, how to make them safer to store and how they move.
How do you know a battery is damaged or defective?
A battery is damaged or defective if it shows physical damage, swelling, leakage, discoloration, unusual heat, a burning or chemical smell, a dented or cracked case, melted plastic, corrosion on terminals, or evidence of water exposure. It may also be defective if it will not charge, loses capacity suddenly, shows persistent BMS fault codes, or comes from a lot named in a safety recall. Swollen pouch cells in laptops, phones and e-bike packs are the most common example.
Recalled batteries are included even if they look normal, because the defect may not be visible. Check manufacturer and Consumer Product Safety Commission notices for your product. A battery from a crash, fire, flood or heavy impact should be treated as damaged even if it still operates. When you are unsure, assume damaged. The risk of treating a good battery cautiously is small compared with the risk of treating a failing one as normal.
- Swelling, bulging or a lifted case or lid
- Leaking fluid, residue or crystalline deposits
- Heat, hissing, smoke or a solvent-like smell
- Crash, crush, puncture, fire or flood exposure
- Named in a manufacturer or regulatory recall
Why are damaged batteries the highest-risk batteries?
Damage can create an internal short circuit that may not cause a fire immediately. The cell can heat slowly, then enter thermal runaway minutes, hours or days later, and a battery that has stopped smoking can reignite. Thermal runaway releases heat, flammable gases and toxic fumes, and it can spread from cell to cell. Large packs, such as EV and energy storage batteries, may burn for a long time and can require specialist response.
Do not charge, discharge, test, open, crush or try to straighten a damaged battery. Do not carry it in a pocket, bag or vehicle cabin. Handle it with gloves and eye protection, avoid touching leaked fluid, and ventilate the area. If a battery is actively smoking, hissing or hot, evacuate and call emergency services; do not try to carry it outside unless you can do so safely. After an incident, keep the area clear until the battery has been inspected.
How should you isolate and store a damaged battery?
Move the battery to a non-combustible container, ideally outdoors or in a fire-rated area away from buildings, vehicles and other batteries. A metal container with a lid, filled with dry sand or vermiculite, provides thermal buffering and keeps the battery from touching other materials. Place the battery in the sand or vermiculite with its terminals taped, close the lid loosely so gas can vent, and keep the container out of rain.
Check the container regularly from a safe distance without opening it, and keep records of where it is stored. Do not store damaged batteries with good batteries, flammable liquids, paper or cardboard. Limit the number of damaged batteries per container, and keep each in its own bag or compartment if possible. Remember that sand and vermiculite are not a fire extinguisher: they limit contact and heat transfer, but a large battery can still burn through them.
- Use a metal, lidded container filled with dry sand or vermiculite
- Keep it outdoors or in a fire-rated space away from combustibles
- Tape terminals, bag each battery and label the container as damaged
- Never charge, open or test the battery
What are the packaging rules for damaged, defective or recalled batteries?
Damaged, defective and recalled lithium batteries are covered by 49 CFR 173.185(f), which requires each battery to be placed in its own non-metallic inner packaging, surrounded by non-combustible, electrically non-conductive and absorbent cushioning such as vermiculite, inside an outer packaging that meets the Packing Group I performance level. The package must also carry a “Damaged/defective lithium ion battery” or “Damaged/defective lithium metal battery” mark in letters at least 12 millimeters high. This is often called DDR packaging.
Batteries that could rapidly disassemble, react dangerously, produce flame or heat, or emit toxic gases may need special approval or a special permit before they can move at all. Large batteries have their own packaging provisions. Only trained personnel should prepare these shipments, and the package must be accepted by a carrier that handles Class 9 lithium batteries. Do not try to pack a damaged battery in an ordinary box with newspaper or bubble wrap.
Can damaged batteries be shipped by air?
No. Damaged, defective or recalled lithium batteries are forbidden from air transport, on both passenger and cargo aircraft, under the DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations and international air rules. Ground transport is the only practical mode, and even then it requires proper packaging, marking, labeling, shipping papers and trained shippers. Do not give a damaged battery to a package carrier without declaring it. For heavier batteries the loading method matters as much as the box, so tell us about docks, lifts and access.
Hiding or mislabeling a damaged battery is dangerous and may violate federal rules. Lithium batteries are UN3480 or UN3481 for lithium-ion, and UN3090 or UN3091 for lithium metal, all Class 9, and damaged status changes the packaging requirement, not the UN number. We confirm the classification, packaging method and carrier before scheduling pickup, and we will tell you if a battery cannot be moved until further steps are taken. Carriers set their own acceptance rules on top of federal law, so a package that is legal can still be refused.
How do businesses manage damaged batteries as universal waste?
Damaged lithium batteries destined for recycling can be managed as universal waste under 40 CFR Part 273, consistent with EPA’s May 2023 memo on lithium battery waste, but the handler must also prevent releases. Universal waste rules require that batteries that show evidence of leakage, spillage or damage be contained in a container that is closed, structurally sound and compatible with the contents, and that the handler respond to releases. The one-year accumulation limit applies.
Businesses should make a hazardous waste determination, train staff to recognize damaged batteries and write a short response plan covering isolation, who to call and where batteries go. Keep a damaged-battery container at points where batteries are collected, such as repair shops, retail returns and IT desks. State rules vary and may impose extra requirements, so check the state page for your location, and contact us early rather than letting damaged batteries accumulate.
What is recovered from damaged batteries, and what affects cost?
Damaged batteries are still recyclable, and the same metals can be recovered: cobalt, nickel, lithium, copper, aluminum and graphite from NMC, NCA and LCO chemistries, and lithium, iron phosphate, copper and aluminum from LFP. Processing starts with safe discharge or thermal treatment, then recyclers use black mass production with hydrometallurgy or pyrometallurgy. Burnt or water-damaged batteries may have reduced recoverable value.
Cost is higher than for intact batteries. DDR packaging materials, labor to prepare the shipment, specialized carriers, any approval requirements, weight and distance all add cost. Chemistry affects value, with LFP generally lower than NMC. Volume helps, but damaged batteries are often shipped individually. Because costs vary so much, we quote each case after reviewing photographs, chemistry, size, condition and location.
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Frequently asked questions
What should I do right now with a swollen battery?
Stop using it, do not charge it and do not puncture it. Move it carefully to a non-combustible container, outdoors or in a fire-rated area, away from other materials, and contact us.
Can I use sand or vermiculite to store it?
Yes. Dry sand or vermiculite in a lidded metal container helps buffer heat and prevents contact. It does not make the battery safe, so keep the container away from buildings.
Can damaged batteries go through the mail or by air?
No. Damaged, defective and recalled lithium batteries are forbidden from air transport and must follow 49 CFR 173.185(f) packaging for ground shipment.
Is a recalled battery that looks fine still treated as damaged?
Yes. Recalled batteries are in the same packaging category, because the defect may not be visible. Check the recall notice and tell us the details.
What if the battery is smoking right now?
Evacuate the area and call emergency services. Do not try to extinguish a large battery fire yourself, and do not move the battery unless it can be done safely.
Can water be used on a lithium battery fire?
Large amounts of water cool lithium-ion fires, but the decision belongs to trained responders. Small devices should be left to professionals if they are smoking.