More than 30 fires in Bundaberg Regional Council trucks or waste facilities are being started each year from incorrect battery disposal, putting lives and costly equipment at risk.
Waste and Recycling portfolio spokesperson Cr Bartels said the concerning number of fires was posing an unacceptable safety risk.
“When batteries are put in household bins, they can cause fires,” Cr Bartels said.
“Our waste team have extinguished more than 30 fires in Council trucks and waste facilities in the last 12 months.
“That’s a shocking number and it’s one we must all work to immediately reduce for the safety of staff and the community.
“Statistics show each household in the region throws away an average of 11 batteries a year, putting lives, property and the environment at serious risk.”
Now Council is urging residents to take simple steps to prevent these dangerous incidents and keep the community safe.
“Less than 10% of batteries are recycled nationwide however local residents have a number of drop off points and options for free battery disposal.
“Council waste facilities, service centres and libraries have household battery collection points, in addition to many supermarkets and electronic stores.
“Using the Recycle Mate map is a quick and simple way to find the most convenient safe disposal site for you.
“You can download the app or just head to bundaberg.qld.gov.au and search Recycle Mate to see all of the safe drop off points on a map,” Cr Bartels said.
However, Cr Bartels stressed that even at these safe disposal locations there were some simple steps to follow to reduce the fire risk.
“Make sure you tape the positive end of the battery and bag your collected batteries before dropping them into the collection bin.
“This adds an extra layer of safety during transport and handling.
“If every resident makes these simple changes in how they dispose of batteries, we can reduce the risk of fires in our waste collection trucks and facilities.”
Battery recycling is free at designated disposal locations.
For safe battery disposal remember:
- Tape the terminals of used batteries or bag them in a clear plastic bag.
- Drop them off at designated battery recycling points.
- Never place batteries in kerbside bins. This includes loose batteries and items with embedded batteries such as toys, remotes and scooters.
- Use designated disposal points. Find disposal points by searching the Recycle Mate map or by downloading the app to your mobile device.
Larger batteries such as car batteries, power tool batteries and embedded types can be safely disposed of at Council waste facilities – just let staff know what you’re dropping off.
This initiative is supported by the Queensland Government’s Recycling and Jobs Fund.
