Get involved in the Great Battery Hunt

Join us to help raise awareness about the issue of small batteries in New Zealand households, by taking part in our Great Battery Hunt.

Modern life has dramatically increased the number of batteries in our homes. A typical household has shifted from containing a handful of AA alkaline cells to housing potentially hundreds of lithium batteries spread across dozens of everyday products. Some estimates suggest that the average home has over 100 batteries, with up to a third of those being flat or unusable.

The Great Battery Hunt is designed to move households from not noticing or knowing what to do with unwanted batteries to identifying them, keeping them out of rubbish and kerbside recycling, storing them safely and finding an appropriate collection option.

With one successful Great Battery Hunt campaign under our belt, WasteMINZ is keen to make it bigger and better this year with your help!

If you have any questions, contact Charlotte Whiter on charlotte@wasteminz.org.nz

Campaign overview

Battery Hunt - office desk

The Great Battery Hunt invites households to search room by room for batteries hidden in everyday products. Participants record the number they find, identify used or unwanted batteries, submit their results online and learn how to manage batteries safely at end of life.

CAMPAIGN PAGE:
www.wasteminz.org.nz/batteryhunt

WHO IS IT FOR?
New Zealand households, particularly families and households with lots of of battery powered products.

WHEN IS IT HAPPENING?
23 November - 13 December 2026

WHAT ARE WE ASKING PEOPLE TO DO?
Search your home for batteries, count what you find, submit your total and make sure used or unwanted batteries stay out of household rubbish and kerbside recycling.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?
The campaign is designed to build awareness of how many batteries are hidden in everyday products, encourage safer end-of-life behaviour and improve our understanding of the batteries currently in New Zealand homes.

How to get involved

We'd love you and your organisation to get involved in the Great Battery Hunt!

Here are some of the ways you can support the campaign:

Post on social media using the assets and suggested posts below
Promote the Great Battery Hunt to your employees via your website, intranet or newsletters
Share or comment on WasteMINZ's social media posts (Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram) during the campaign.
From 23 November, go on a battery hunt in your own home and fill out the form to let us know how many you found!

Let us know how you're taking part, tag us in your posts and make sure to use our hashtags #greatbatteryhunt #countyourbatteries

Campaign key messages

Batteries are in more places than you think. If it lights up, moves, makes a noise or recharges, there's a good chance there's a battery inside.
Everyday products such as toothbrushes, toys, vapes, power tools
and rechargeable gadgets can contain batteries. Hunt room by room and see how many you can find.
Never bin a battery. Batteries and battery-powered products can be damaged when rubbish and recycling are collected or processed, creating a fire risk for workers, trucks and facilities. Keep them out of your household rubbish and kerbside recycling.
Know where your batteries should go. Store your used batteries safely at home and take them to an approved recycling drop-off location. Check the WasteMINZ battery map or your council website for where to go and how your batteries need to be prepared.
Join the hunt. Help build our understanding. Tell us how many batteries you found and be in to win one of five $100 Mitre 10 Gift Cards. Your count helps build that understanding and can support better planning for safe battery collection, storage and recycling.

Get involved in the Great Battery Hunt!

Campaign overview

How to get involved

Suggested content

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Newsletter content:

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WasteMINZ exists to make a positive impact on Aotearoa New Zealand