.png)
The waste and recycling industry is witnessing an increase in battery related fires, and BINGO is no exception. More needs to be done to safely dispose of and manage batteries in order to keep our people, communities and the environment safe.
In June, a BINGO truck caught fire on its way to a recycling centre. It was later determined that the customer had incorrectly disposed of lithium batteries in the waste, causing the fire.
Batteries do not belong in general waste bins. Despite asking our customers not to dump hazardous materials like batteries in our bins, we are seeing an increase of batteries from power tools, scooters, vapes and other items in our waste streams.
Batteries must be disposed of in dedicated bins or centres. Hazardous waste has the potential to cause serious harm to our people, the community and the environment, if not disposed of correctly.
What happens when batteries cause a truck fire?
Waste is compacted inside our trucks. If batteries or electronics are present, the compaction can cause a spark and cause the entire load to burst into flames. This can lead to property damage and potential injury to our drivers.
When trucks carrying waste catch fire, they are often driving on busy roads through our cities and communities. This poses a severe safety risk not only to our drivers but to other motorists, pedestrians and the broader community.
The fire brigade often instructs the driver to dump the rubbish on the road, in a safe place for the fire brigade to extinguish the fire. If the rubbish is not able to be dumped, it could potentially cause the truck to explode, leading to even more devastating safety and environmental consequences.
Where to dispose of batteries
There are plenty of safe ways to dispose of batteries. Please visit your local council website for more information or search for a facility near you that accepts batteries. You can also visit Planet Ark or the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in your state for more information on where and how to dispose of batteries.
Damaged batteries are highly dangerous so if you have damaged batteries showing signs of swelling, bulging, leaking, dents etc., you need to dispose of these with extra care.
