Stay safe! Keep batteries out of your bin.
Did you know batteries, and especially the lithium-ion variety in appliances, electronics and vapes, can cause fires when incorrectly disposed of? For your safety, don’t drop batteries in your bin. Drop them to Council’s Resource Recovery Centre or your local community Battery Collection Program, and switch to using rechargeable batteries wherever possible. They have a longer life span.
When you drop your used batteries in your red bin, you run the risk of a fire igniting and releasing harmful pollutants into the environment. “In a recent incident close to home here in the Highlands, a truck load of general red bin waste had to be off-loaded due to a fire believed to be caused by improperly discarded batteries,” says
Wingecarribee Shire Council’s Waste Education Officer Alyssa Vilar.
“This is something we want to avoid occurring again, with the help of our community to ensure that batteries are safely and responsibly disposed of.”
The toxic materials contained in batteries can contaminate soil and water if not properly handled. Batteries are not biodegradable and when they end up in landfill, they contribute to accumulation of hazardous waste over time.
By doing our part to recycle batteries we can contribute to reducing the strain on our natural resources, and minimise pollution of our Shire. Here are four easy ways you can make a difference:
- For your safety and the health of our environment, don’t drop your batteries in your red bin. Instead, dispose of them safely and responsibly by dropping them to the Community Recycling Centre in our Resource Recovery Centre.
- Look up your local Battery Collection Program. These offer designated drop-off points to support safe handling and recycling of batteries.
- Use rechargeable batteries wherever possible. Their longer life span helps to reduce the number of batteries that wind up in waste.
- Share this knowledge with others. By spreading awareness about the importance of proper battery disposal with friends, family and colleagues, we can inspire responsible handling.
For more information on responsible battery disposal and other environmental initiatives, please visit https://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/Home or contact us at 02 4868 0888.
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