The Municipality of Digby is reminding residents that lithium-ion batteries must never be placed in household garbage or regular recycling following several recent incidents at the Transfer Station, including a fire earlier this week.
Transfer Station operators have experienced a number of close calls involving lithium-ion batteries that were disposed of with regular household waste. When garbage is handled and processed using heavy machinery, these batteries can become punctured or damaged. A damaged lithium-ion battery can ignite and cause surrounding solid waste to catch fire.
On Tuesday, September 22, a lithium-ion battery ignited while garbage was being handled at the Transfer Station. Fortunately, operators recognized the situation and acted quickly, preventing the fire from spreading and bringing the situation under control.
While staff are trained to respond to incidents such as this, fires caused by improperly disposed batteries present a serious safety risk to Transfer Station employees, the facility and the surrounding community.
Proper Battery Disposal:
Residents are reminded that lithium-ion batteries should never be placed in household garbage or recycling.
Instead, batteries should be brought to a registered battery recycling depot for proper disposal. The Municipality of Digby's Transfer Station is a registered collection location for batteries. You may also drop them off at our local Home Hardware and/or Canadian Tire.
Lithium-ion batteries can be found in many common household items, including:
• Cell phones and tablets
• Laptops and other electronics
• Cordless power tools
• Cameras
• E-bikes and other electric devices
• Rechargeable household products
• Portable battery packs
Residents are encouraged to take extra care when handling and transporting damaged or used batteries and to avoid puncturing, crushing or otherwise damaging them.
For more information about battery recycling and to find registered collection locations throughout Nova Scotia, visit:
https://recycleyourbatteries.ca/
https://divertns.ca/
Thank you for helping keep our Transfer Station employees, facilities, and community safe!
