Improper disposal of lithium-ion batteries is a leading cause of fires.
Firefighters are warning the public that throwing everyday items containing these batteries into bins and recycling bins is turning into a national crisis.
What happened?
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has been issuing warnings about the dangers of mistakenly placing battery-operated items in recycling bins, the BBC reports.
In one community, nearly 85 tons (94 tons) of improperly disposed electronics caused 46 fires at a garbage sorting site, and five more fires broke out in garbage trucks, the department said. The danger arises when garbage companies collect household bins containing batteries and compact the trash, crushing the lithium-ion batteries in the process.
The fire department says these fires are preventable and divert resources from other unavoidable emergencies.
“They could burst into flames immediately because of the chemicals they contain,” David Bolan, the service’s assistant area commander, said, according to the BBC.
Why are lithium-ion battery fires serious?
Lithium-ion batteries are popular today, powering everything from vape pens to cell phones and power tools. Although they are small, these high-energy, powerful cells can start fires when they explode, ejecting gas and shrapnel.
However, these types of batteries are crucial to the clean energy transition because they can store energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar. Lithium-ion batteries are also used in electric vehicles and grid-scale battery storage systems, which are critical to reducing transportation pollution and enabling renewable energy to become a reliable 24/7 solution.
However, fires caused by lithium-ion batteries put people and property at risk, and catastrophic battery failures have resulted in fatalities.
What steps are being taken to prevent battery fires?
West Yorkshire Fire Service has launched a campaign with the city council and local waste management companies to raise public awareness of the dangers of battery disposal. It also advises against buying cheap battery kits online that do not meet government safety regulations and testing requirements.
Innovators have also been working on new ways to recycle lithium-ion batteries to repurpose their valuable materials and rechargeable batteries to replace 1,000 disposable batteries.
As an individual, you can do your part by learning more about this critical climate issue and setting a good example for your community by recycling batteries.
For example, you can often find grocery stores and libraries that have dedicated recycling bins for used batteries. Established battery recycling programs like Call2Recycle work with major retailers to collect batteries and provide convenient recycling locations. If it’s more convenient, you can also choose to mail used batteries.
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