A fire that badly damaged a waste and recycling facility in Nova Scotia has prompted the organization’s manager to issue a blunt warning about the disposal of lithium-ion batteries with regular garbage.
Andrew Garrett, general manager of Valley Waste Resource Management in Kentville, N.S., says that when these batteries are crushed or damaged, they can spark a fire — a dangerous problem that has become all too common in recent years.
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Garrett says images from a security camera inside a transfer station in Clarence East, N.S., show the fire starting in a small, regular waste pile early on Thursday morning.
Garrett says the fire, which smouldered at first, was likely ignited by a damaged lithium-ion battery, which are typically found in cellphones, cordless tools and many other electronic devices.
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He says too many people remain unaware that when these batteries are worn out, they must be packaged properly and taken to a hazardous waste site or a drop-off location.
Garrett says that in the past three years, Valley Waste has dealt with eight other smaller fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, including a fire last year in Kentville that damaged a large trailer.