A blaze at the material recovery facility in Colson Road is believed to have been caused by a lithium battery.
A blaze at the material recovery facility in Colson Road is believed to have been caused by a lithium battery.
Batteries in rubbish collections have sparked three fires at Taranaki sites this year.
Last mont, a fire at the Hāwera Transfer Station was linked to a disposed lithium battery, while a battery is believed to have caused a blaze at New Plymouth’s material recovery facility on Colson Road. This isthe second at the facility this year after a battery caused a fire in April, resulting in 500 kilograms of valuable recyclable steel being lost.
A blaze in a recycling truck in Auckland is also believed to be caused by a battery in a vaping device igniting. Lithium-ion batteries are commonly found in vapes, phones, laptops and some power tools. When squashed, punctured, shredded or soaked in liquids, they can get hot and ignite.
New Plymouth District Council resource recovery manager Kimberely Hope says it’s important to recycle batteries properly.
“These incidents are a reminder about what can happen when batteries or objects containing batteries are put in kerbside bins. The simple rule is that no battery should go in into a recycling or landfill bin. Rather, take your used batteries to The Junction or another battery recycling service being offered.”
New Plymouth residents can drop off up to 5kg of household batteries for free at The Junction’s Reuse Shop on Colson Road. There is a small charge for lithium batteries, and those over nine volts need to have contact points taped.
For more details about what can go into recycling or landfill bins, visit the recycling guide on the New Plymouth District Council website: npdc.govt.nz/ZeroWaste.
New Plymouth District Council is consulting with the community on its Draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan, which includes options for improving waste and recycling collections in urban and rural areas.
