Lithium batteries, powering a host of electronic gadgets and holiday gifts, are drawing scrutiny as suspected causes of fatal fires in places including New York City, as well as ignitions in Palm Beach County’s waste and recycling system, a Wellington panel learned recently. As authorities grapple with the issue, many people do not realize such batteries should not be tossed into regular trash or recycling, an official with the county’s Solid Waste Authority told Wellington’s Public Safety Committee. “There is currently no coordinated, nationwide response to the problem,” said Jessica Winter, the SWA’s recycling, education and marketing manager.
Various kinds of lithium batteries help run everything from vehicles and scooters to game controllers, medical devices, smoke detectors, vaping equipment, drones and more. They provide benefits such as long battery life, but they also pose a risk of fire and require careful attention to their use and disposal.
Such batteries are sometimes marked with a symbolic “X” through a trash can indicating that they are not supposed to be disposed of like most other waste, but consumer awareness has not always kept pace with the technology, Winter said. Consumers using products with such batteries should watch for signs like high heat or swelling of the product frame, added Elyse Brown, community education supervisor for Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. If that happens, suspend use and charging, keep the device away from flammable materials and check with the retailer or manufacturer, she advised.