Baja California’s Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development (SMADS) will hold a free used battery collection event in Tijuana on June 24 and 25. The two-day drive, called “Baja las Pilas,” will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days at the Ceart Tijuana parking lot on Paseo del Centenario in the Zona Río area.
Only alkaline batteries in AA, AAA, C, and D sizes will be accepted. Organizers are asking residents to tape the terminals of each battery before dropping them off. This precaution prevents short circuits that can occur when loose batteries come into contact with metal or other battery terminals during storage and transport.
Why Proper Battery Disposal Matters
Alkaline batteries contain zinc, manganese, and other metals that can leach into soil and groundwater when tossed into regular trash. In Tijuana, where landfill infrastructure faces ongoing pressure from the city’s population of roughly 2 million, improper disposal compounds existing environmental concerns.
Mexico classifies used batteries as special waste requiring separate handling. Unlike in California, where state law bans batteries from landfills and cities like San Diego run year-round collection programs at libraries and seasonal drop-off events, Baja California relies primarily on periodic drives like “Baja las Pilas” to gather household batteries from residents.
What to Bring and Where to Go
Ceart Tijuana (Centro Estatal de las Artes) sits along Paseo del Centenario near the Tijuana River channel in the Zona Río district, a short drive from the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro border crossings. The parking lot will serve as the drop-off point on both days.
Residents should sort batteries by size and tape each one before arriving. The event will not accept lithium-ion batteries, button cells, car batteries, or rechargeable battery packs. Only standard household alkaline cells in the four specified sizes qualify.
The collection is free and open to all Tijuana and Baja California residents. No appointment or registration is required. SMADS has organized similar battery drives in previous years across the state as part of its waste reduction efforts.
This story was first reported by Jornada BC.