Scrap batteries are not one product. A car battery, a UPS battery and a lithium-ion pack are different things, with different value, different rules and, for lithium, a real fire risk. This guide explains what drives the payout for each, how to find an honest price, and why we do not publish a per-kilogram table for batteries: we could not find a source we trust for one. If you only want to price a car battery, see How Much Are Old Car Batteries Worth as Scrap? and How Much Are Scrap Car Batteries Worth in Australia?.
Why there is no single per-kg price
Battery recyclers value a battery by what can be recovered from it. In lead-acid batteries, the main value is the lead. Lithium-ion packs contain materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt, but the value depends on the chemistry and condition, and recovery is a specialist process. That is general industry knowledge, not a figure from our data.
The ScrapTrade Price Index does not list batteries. It does list clean soft lead, excluding battery casing, with a reference estimate of A$1.95 per kg on 30 October 2026 [1]. That is not a battery price, and you should not multiply a battery's weight by it. The index is an indicative reference, not an offer.
What affects the payout
- Type. Lead-acid (car, truck, UPS, industrial) and lithium-ion are priced and handled separately.
- Weight and quantity. Bulk loads from workshops and businesses are treated differently from a single battery.
- Condition. Cracked or leaking batteries are harder and riskier to handle.
- Who is buying. Some yards take lead-acid batteries and refuse lithium, so ask.
How to find an honest price
- Ask for the price per battery and per kilogram, and what it assumes about type and condition.
- Ask whether the yard takes your type. Some yards refuse lithium-ion because of the fire risk.
- Compare more than one buyer. Compare offers on the marketplace.
- Keep paperwork. If you sell as a business, the ATO's scrap code expects an ABN or the buyer withholds 47%, unless a valid exception applies [2]. In NSW and Victoria dealers cannot pay cash. See Scrap Business Rules in Australia by State.
Lithium-ion batteries: a safety problem first
A damaged lithium-ion battery can start a fire in a bin, a truck or a yard. We cover this in Dangerous Items in Scrap and What to Refuse, and Queensland's industry body ran a lithium-ion battery innovation challenge in 2025, covered in AI Tools for a Scrap Business. Do not put lithium batteries in general scrap, and do not try to sell a swollen or damaged pack to a yard that has not agreed to take it.
Exporting batteries
Used lead-acid batteries and other battery scrap can fall under Australia's hazardous waste export rules, which need a permit. Our article Australia's Waste Export Rules and Scrap Metal explains how. This matters to exporters, not to someone selling one car battery.
Selling batteries through ScrapTrade
ScrapTrade's How It Works page describes listing with photos and pricing preferences, reviewing buyer offers and accepting one, plus buyers posting what they need. ScrapTrade's Trust & Safety page says payment is held in escrow once a deal is confirmed and released once pickup or delivery is confirmed. The index lists no battery grades, so a battery listing would need clear descriptions of type and condition. Create a free account to try it. ScrapTrade has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.
What we could not verify
- A per-kg price for any battery type. We found no source we trust, so we removed the table the page used to carry.
- Which Australian yards accept which batteries. Ask them.
- The recovery value of lithium-ion packs. It depends on chemistry and condition.
- Collection scheme rules for batteries. We did not research them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the scrap battery price per kg?
We do not publish one, because we could not find a reliable source. Ask buyers for a price per battery and per kilogram for your type.
Are lead-acid batteries worth more than lithium-ion?
It depends on the chemistry, condition and buyer. Some yards will not accept lithium-ion at all.
Can I sell lithium batteries to a scrap yard?
Only to a buyer that has agreed to take them. Damaged packs are a fire risk. See our guide on dangerous items in scrap.
Is the lead price in the index a battery price?
No. It is for clean soft lead excluding battery casing [1].
Sources
- ScrapTrade, Price Index, reference estimate read on 30 October 2026.
- Australian Taxation Office, GST and scrap metal: code of compliance (3 July 2023).
Indicative information, not an offer or advice. ScrapTrade operates a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.