[schoolornot]

This only applies to New Yorkers but there is a law on the books that requires retailers to accept used batteries of the same type they sell for recycling. I bring mine to a local Apple store and they gladly take them every time. Often I have a PC battery or two in the bag too.

[est31]

The same rule exists in Germany as well: distributors, if they sell batteries, also have to accept them. Same goes for (fluorescent) light bulbs. I think this rule is quite nice as it saves cost for waste disposal, using existing distributor infrastructure.

[sukilot]

Are they required to recycle those batteries, or merely "accept" them?

[usrusr]

Speaking for Germany: accept, as in paying for proper disposal (which may or may not involve recycling). The main goal is keeping batteries out of regular refuse streams.