Vape batteries set recycling trucks alight

Smoke engulfs the rubbish truck. Photo / Hamilton City Council

By RNZ

A vape battery has caused a recycling collection truck to catch fire - the third such incident in the Hamilton district in a year.

The battery - which is the size of an adult’s thumb - was disposed of in a city council recycling truck, and caught alight when it was compacted under pressure on Thursday

Fire and Emergency responded to the incident extinguishing the fire. The EnviroWaste driver, who noticed smoke and called Fire and Emergency, was uninjured.

Council’s sustainable resource recovery unit director Tania Hermann said these types of incidents were common with three happening in the past year either in a collection truck or at the materials resource facility, where recycling was sorted.

“All because of an item which should never have been in a kerbside bin in the first place.”

She said all disposable batteries should be taken for free disposal to the Lincoln Street Resource Recovery Centre.

“Our priority is the safety of our staff and contractors. No one wants to be responsible for another person getting injured. Please don’t put any battery, no matter how big or small, into your kerbside landfill or recycling bin.”

Lithium is found in batteries from vacuum cleaners and other appliances, laptops and scooters. AA and AAA batteries also leach into the soil as they corrode.

- RNZ