This week, a routine garbage collection turned dangerous again. A battery tossed in the trash ignited inside one of our trucks, marking a third fire since the start of the year.
The photos above shows what’s left of a lithium-ion battery pack commonly found in items like power tools, laptops, e-bikes, and wireless devices. When these batteries are crushed during collection, they can spark instantly and start a fire. And this is what happens once the battery is in the back of the truck and the spark occurs.
Why this matters
This isn’t a small issue. It’s a real safety risk with real impacts.
- Puts drivers and crews at risk: Fires can ignite in seconds, putting workers in danger.
- Damages trucks and equipment: One battery can cause serious damage or total loss.
- Disrupts service: Truck downtime means delays for neighborhoods.
- Drives up costs: Repairs and emergency response add up fast.
Bottom line: This is preventable.
What you can do now
- Do not put batteries in your trash or recycling
- Use our free doorstep pickup program
- Take them to a battery drop-off location
- When preparing batteries for disposal, tape the terminals to prevent sparks
For drop off locations or to learn more about our free doorstep pickup, follow this link.
Keep it simple
One battery can start a fire. If it has a battery, keep it out of your bin. Your choice protects the person picking up your trash and keeps your service running.