News

There are more battery fires than before and firefighters are worried

In the first six months of this year, there were 114 lithium battery-related fires, with key items of concern being power packs and chargers, micro-mobility devices such as e-bikes and e-scooters and portable power banks.

Local councils and waste contractors have seen a significant rise in the number of truck and rubbish fires caused by batteries, which if damaged can explode and spark fires that are difficult to put out.

Residents should instead take batteries to a community recycling centre or drop them off at a dedicated recycling point available at many large retailers such as Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings and Officeworks.

Meanwhile, products with batteries embedded in them, like mobile phones, laptops and power tools should be disposed of at an e-waste recycling facility or e-waste drop-off event.

Garbage truck drivers are calling on residents to dispose of lithium batteries correctly after an increase in rubbish fires across Sydney.

New South Wales Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said while batteries power so much, they can be dangerous if not disposed of correctly.

“The community needs to understand that bins are not the place for batteries. The good news is we can recycle 95 per cent of batteries. But at the moment, only 10 per cent are being recycled.”

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/there-s-more-battery-fires-than-before-and-firefighters-are-worried-20230805-p5du4j.html?btis=