The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority has begun a lithium battery disposal site at the Ivy Solid Waste and Recycling Center. Westley Kern, the Rivanna Authorities Communication and Outreach Coordinator said the new site gives residents of Charlottesville, Albemarle County and Scottsville an opportunity to remove a fire hazard from their homes.
Lithium batteries are popular because they’re often lightweight, rechargeable, and capable of storing large amounts of energy, but when discarded incorrectly, they can ignite into dangerous fires. “If they get crushed or scraped, they can experience what we call thermal runaway,” Kern said. “They can spike rapidly in temperature from just over 200-degrees Fahrenheit all the way up to 1800-degrees, creating a substantial fire hazard in the home.”
When possible, lithium batteries should be removed from the devices they serve before bringing it into the facility. However, if the lithium battery cannot be easily accessed or removed, the entire device can be turned in with the battery still installed, provided it fits inside a standard 5-gallon bucket, which are provided at the site.