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The most prevalent cause of fires at material recovery facilities (MRFs) are lithium-ion batteries, and with more and more devices using this type of battery the problem is going to get worse, according to a report released in March by the EPA.
It’s extremely important to dispose of lithium-ion batteries correctly, according to John Woodman of the Montgomery County Environmental Services.
That means not putting them in the trash or recycling bin.
“They don’t go with your bottles and cans and paper and cardboard,” said Woodman. “They need to be recycled separately because of the safety issues associated with them.”
Despite public awareness campaigns and news stories about the risks, many consumers do not know how to properly dispose of Lithium Ion batteries.
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Montgomery County residents can bring lithium-ion batteries and other recyclables to the Montgomery County Solid Waste District Transfer and Recycling Facility on Encrete Lane in Moraine on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Woodman said tens of thousands of lithium-ion batteries are collected at the facility every year.
“It’s about 300 or 400 pounds, which is a lot of batteries because they don’t weigh much and we get quite a few in our program,” he said. “And we’d like more.”
“It’s really easy to come here and drop off your batteries, so it’s not like it’s a big stress or anything like that,” said Greg Heimann, an Oakwood resident who brought some regular batteries to the facility to recycle. “It doesn’t take a lot of effort really to do it.”
Anyone who is concerned about having used lithium-ion batteries in their home should store them in a cool, dry place until they can bring them to a recycling location.
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