Why batteries should never be disposed of in kerbside bins

The result of a battery fire that started in a waste truck in the Northern Rivers. This can be easily prevented by keeping batteries out of kerbside bins and disposing of them at a CRC or B-cycle battery drop off point. Photo: SUPPLIED

UNLESS you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about the sharp rise in battery-related fires, with an estimated 10,000 such incidents occurring in Australia last year.

Batteries contain reactive materials that can spark and ignite when crushed during waste collection or disposal.

A single lithium-ion battery can generate enough heat to start a fire in a garbage truck or landfill, putting workers and infrastructure at risk.

When left in kerbside bins, batteries are more likely to be compacted and damaged. This mechanical stress can rupture casings, releasing chemicals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, cobalt and lithium salts. These substances pose a fire risk, persist in the environment, pollute soil and waterways, and can harm human health and wildlife.

Accessible recycling programs such as B-cycle and Community Recycling Centres allow households to drop off used batteries for free.

These programs help recover valuable metals and support a circular economy for batteries, reducing the need for virgin materials.

By making safe disposal part of our routine, we can all help protect human health, prevent fires and conserve materials.

Always separate batteries from general waste, tape the terminals to prevent short circuits and store them in a ventilated glass jar, out of reach of children, until you can visit your local drop-off point.

To find your nearest drop-off location or learn more about safe battery disposal, visit newaste.org.au/batteries or contact your local council.

This project is a NSW Environment Protection Authority Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy initiative, funded from the waste levy.

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