WM Updates Recycle Right® Rules: No Batteries in Recycling or Trash

WM (NYSE: WM) updated its Recycle Right® rules to add a fourth prohibition: no batteries in recycling or trash, due to fire risks that can endanger workers, facilities and communities.

Rhea-AI Summary

WM (NYSE: WM) updated its Recycle Right® rules to add a fourth prohibition: no batteries in recycling or trash, due to fire risks that can endanger workers, facilities and communities.

WM highlights that both alkaline and lithium-ion batteries must be handled through dedicated drop-off and recovery programs, not household bins.

Argus Jun 15 session

-1.14% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – WM

On Jun 15, the day this news came out, WM closed 1.14% below the previous close.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Jun 15 session.

Key Figures

Share price: $219.45 Market cap: $87,860,758,780 Today’s volume: 3,042,959 shares +5 more

Share price

$219.45

Pre-news trading level for WM shares

Market cap

$87,860,758,780

Equity value based on latest provided data

Today’s volume

3,042,959 shares

1.36x the 20-day average volume of 2,239,938 shares

Quarterly dividend

$0.945 per share

Cash dividend declared for June 18, 2026 payment

Q1 2026 revenue

$6,227M

First quarter 2026 reported revenue

Q1 2026 operating EBITDA

$1,848M

First quarter 2026 operating EBITDA

Q1 2026 diluted EPS

$1.79

First quarter 2026 diluted earnings per share

Q1 2026 cash from operations

$1.5B

First quarter 2026 cash generated from operations

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: May 13

5 events

1. May 13

   Leadership change

   24h Move

   -0.6%

   Appointment of Tara Hemmer as COO and leadership realignment.

2. May 11

   Dividend declaration

   24h Move

   +1.6%

   Announcement of a $0.945 per share quarterly cash dividend.

3. Apr 28

   Earnings release

   24h Move

   +1.3%

   Q1 2026 results with strong revenue, EBITDA, cash flow and reaffirmed outlook.

4. Mar 26

   Earnings date set

   24h Move

   +0.1%

   Scheduling of Q1 2026 earnings release and conference call details.

5. Mar 02

   Dividend declaration

   24h Move

   +0.1%

   Quarterly $0.945 per share cash dividend for March 2026.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

alkaline batteries, lithium-ion batteries

2 terms

alkaline batteries technical

"Batteries include alkaline batteries, the most common household batteries, as well as"

Alkaline batteries are common disposable batteries that power everyday devices like remotes, flashlights and toys; they store chemical energy and release it as electricity, similar to a small sealed fuel canister for gadgets. They matter to investors because demand, production cost and raw-material supply influence sales and margins for manufacturers and retailers, while changes in commodity prices, regulation or recycling trends can affect profitability and long-term market outlook.

lithium-ion batteries technical

"while lithium-ion batteries can be found in shavers, electric toothbrushes, smart devices,"

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are lightweight, high-energy storage cells that use lithium ions moving between electrodes to store and release electricity, like a refillable fuel tank for electronic devices and electric vehicles. Investors care because they power a wide range of products from phones to cars and grid systems, so improvements, costs, supply chain constraints, or safety issues can directly affect manufacturers’ profits, product demand, and capital expenditure plans.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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National Waste & Recycling Association Study Showed an Estimated 5,000 Battery-Related Fires Occur at Recycling Facilities Annually Nationwide

HOUSTON, June 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WM (NYSE: WM), North America's leading environmental solutions provider and largest recycler, has added a fourth rule to its Recycle Right® list of items that should never go in recycling and trash bins – batteries – as batteries can pose a fire risk that could injure workers or impact facilities.

Batteries include alkaline batteries, the most common household batteries, as well as lithium-ion batteries. Alkaline batteries include batteries that go in remotes, clocks, toys and flashlights, while lithium-ion batteries can be found in shavers, electric toothbrushes, smart devices, power tools, e-bikes and e-scooters, Bluetooth-enabled trackers and even audio greeting cards.

"Batteries don't belong in recycling or trash; they're a fire risk that puts workers, first responders, collection vehicles and facilities in danger," said Ryan Nordt, executive director of recycling operations, WM. "A clear 'no batteries' rule helps protect people, communities and prevent fires."

Market Reports World data indicates most single-use batteries are alkaline batteries while Statista data shows lithium-ion battery demand will increase by nearly 7X by 2030, solidifying the importance of proper battery disposal. Consumers should visit batterysafetynow.org for resources and a battery drop-off locator to understand the importance of battery recovery and proper disposal.  

"We commend WM for adding a fourth recycling rule on batteries," said Michael E. Hoffman, president and CEO of the National Waste & Recycling Association. "Our recent study shows that an estimated 5,000 battery-related fires occur annually at recycling facilities and a fire nearly every day in every state in waste and recycling trucks, transfer stations, recycling facilities or landfills. Every effort to educate consumers on the correct way to recover batteries is imperative."

What are the recycling rules to know?
WM states four simple recycling rules on its Recycle Right® website to help make recycling easy:

• Recycle empty, dry bottles, cups, cans, tubs, paper and cardboard.
• No food or liquid in recyclables.
• No bagged recyclables.
• No batteries in the recycling or trash.

Why can't consumers put batteries in recycling or trash?
Batteries contain materials that can short circuit and ignite, leading to hard-to-extinguish fires that can endanger consumers, workers, first responders and communities.

What items have batteries?
Alkaline batteries include batteries that go in remotes, clocks, toys and flashlights. Lithium-ion batteries are found in shavers, electric toothbrushes, smart devices, power tools, e-bikes and e-scooters, Bluetooth-enabled trackers and audio greeting cards.

Where can consumers learn more about how to discard batteries and tips on how to recover batteries properly?
For proper battery disposal, visit batterysafetynow.org to find locations to safely drop off and dispose of loose batteries or check with local municipalities, fire departments and hardware stores for disposal options. 

Visit WM's Recycle Right® page or the How2Recycle site for more tips on how to recycle more effectively and look at local municipality recycling acceptance lists for what can be accepted for recycling in specific communities.

ABOUT WM
WM (WM.com) is North America's leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions. Previously known as Waste Management and based in Houston, Texas, WM is driven by commitments to put people first and achieve success with integrity. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides collection, recycling and disposal services to millions of residential, commercial, industrial, medical and municipal customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. With innovative infrastructure and capabilities in recycling, organics and renewable energy, WM provides environmental solutions to and collaborates with its customers in helping them pursue their sustainability goals. In North America, WM has the largest disposal network and collection fleet, is the largest recycler and is a leader in beneficial use of landfill gas, with a growing network of renewable natural gas plants and the most landfill gas-to-electricity plants, as well as the largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet in the industry. WM also provides collection and disposal services of regulated medical waste and secure information destruction services in the U.S., Canada and Western Europe. To learn more about WM and the company's sustainability progress and solutions, visit Sustainability.WM.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wm-updates-recycle-right-rules-no-batteries-in-recycling-or-trash-302800417.html

SOURCE WM

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What new Recycle Right rule did WM (NYSE: WM) announce on June 15, 2026?

WM added a fourth Recycle Right® rule: batteries must not go in recycling or trash. According to WM, both alkaline and lithium-ion batteries pose fire risks and should be taken to proper battery recovery and drop-off locations instead of household bins.

Why does WM say batteries should not go in recycling or trash bins?

WM explains that batteries can short circuit and ignite, causing hard-to-extinguish fires. According to WM, these fires may endanger consumers, workers, first responders and communities, and threaten collection vehicles, transfer stations, recycling facilities and landfills if batteries are misdisposed.

What are WM's four Recycle Right rules that consumers should follow?

WM lists four core Recycle Right® rules: recycle empty, dry bottles, cups, cans, tubs, paper and cardboard; keep food and liquid out; do not bag recyclables; and place no batteries in recycling or trash. These rules are designed to simplify safe, effective household recycling.

Which common household items contain batteries that WM wants kept out of recycling?

WM notes alkaline batteries in remotes, clocks, toys and flashlights, and lithium-ion batteries in shavers, electric toothbrushes, smart devices, power tools, e-bikes, e-scooters, Bluetooth-enabled trackers and audio greeting cards. According to WM, all such batteries require special disposal, not regular bins.

How many battery-related fires occur at recycling facilities, and why is WM concerned?

The National Waste & Recycling Association estimates about 5,000 battery-related fires annually at recycling facilities. WM cites this data to stress that improper battery disposal threatens facilities and trucks, reinforcing the need for a strict “no batteries” rule in recycling and trash.

Where can WM customers learn how to safely dispose of batteries and recycle correctly?

Consumers can visit batterysafetynow.org to find battery drop-off locations and recovery information. According to WM, people should also check local municipalities, fire departments and hardware stores, plus WM’s Recycle Right® page and the How2Recycle site, for community-specific recycling guidance.