Battery disposal trial to help combat fires and hazards at recovery centre

BALLINA Shire Council has joined a new trial to help combat fires, dangerous hazards and emergency services call outs to its recycling centre.

Damaged batteries, chemicals and other hazardous materials have caused regular flare-ups at the Ballina Resource Recovery Centre.

It was a timely start to the trial following a fire at the centre a fortnight ago.

The facility was temporarily closed while firefighters brought the fire under control and assessed the scene.

Multiple hazardous items including batteries, gas bottles, chemicals, fuel, and aerosols were found in the pile.

All of the items have a designated safe drop-off location, which should be used to prevent such incidents.

As part of the trial, the centre is now accepting household embedded battery products free of charge.

Embedded batteries are small batteries which are built into products and cannot be removed.

They are often found in household items such as vapes, electric toothbrushes, e-bikes, smart watches, portable speakers, vacuums, light up toys, and more.

The batteries are challenging for the waste management sector.

They are made of materials, including lithium-ion, that are difficult to recycle and a significant fire hazard risk.

Ballina council resource recovery education officer Justine Rowe said the initiative will make it easier for the community to identify the risks and plan for safer disposals.

“This trial is a welcome initiative to make it easier for people to do the right thing with embedded batteries, protecting our local community and environment by reducing the number of embedded-battery products that are mistakenly disposed of in kerbside bins,” she said.

“Through the trial, we hope Ballina residents will learn more about embedded-battery products – including how to identify them, the types of risks they pose, why correct disposal is so important, and how they can dispose of them safely.”

The recycling centre has dedicated bins now on site to collect embedded battery products.

E-waste that may contain embedded batteries, including laptops, gaming controllers and tablets, should still be directed to council’s free e-waste collection service also at the centre.