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ABC News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- ABC News
Battery in bin causes 15 tonnes of rubbish to be dumped in Dubbo street
It took just eight seconds and one embedded battery for a routine garbage run to end with 15 tonnes of rubbish dumped on a suburban Western NSW street. Footage released by Dubbo Regional Council shows a garbage truck's load catching fire, moments after a household's red-lidded bin containing a battery-powered device was emptied and compacted. Council's resource recovery and efficiency manager, Jamie Lobb, said the compactor likely crushed the battery, sparking a fire that forced the driver to dump the entire load onto the street. "The garbage truck was quite full at the time, so the ignition occurred quite quickly," he said. "But it was a pretty quick response from the driver who had to decant that load on the road." The single-battery incident triggered an extensive, hours-long response. Two Fire and Rescue NSW trucks were called to extinguish the blaze, while two police cars managed traffic, and council crews used skip bins, a bobcat and street sweepers to clear the scene. Any appliance with a non-removable power cell, from smart watches and old iPods to vapes and e-scooters, contains an embedded battery. These, along with loose household batteries, are classified as hazardous waste and should never be placed in household bins. When crushed, lithium-ion and other batteries can spark or overheat. In a truck full of combustible rubbish, that can lead to fire within seconds. Mr Lobb said while truck hoppers are fitted with cameras, drivers can't spot everything before the compactor engages. "This battery must have unfortunately hit a sweet spot and ignited straight away," Mr Lobb said. "We're fortunate there hasn't been an extreme event where we have lost a vehicle, or there's been a save-driver incident, but now we have a good opportunity to promote correct disposal of batteries." According to an industry-wide survey conducted by the Australian Council of Recycling and the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association, more than 1,600 battery-related fire and heat events occurred in NSW waste and recycling facilities in 2024. Mr Lobb said that while this was Dubbo's first major truck fire in months, similar incidents were becoming increasingly common across Australia's waste sector. "We had a smaller one previously, but not to this extent," he said. "But we're starting to see fires through the kerbside bins definitely become more prevalent. We're also getting spot fires at landfill and spot fires at our resource transfers station where our yellow bin recyclable material goes. Batteries should always be taken to designated recycling points, which are offered by many councils and some retailers across Australia. In Dubbo, the council offers free recycling for household batteries and small embedded devices at drop-off points in the Dubbo and Wellington council administration buildings and libraries. Larger embedded batteries, from scooters and e-bikes, can be taken to the Whylandra Waste and Recycling Facility under a NSW EPA trial program. Some private businesses, including battery retail stores and Officeworks, also host recycling cabinets. Mr Lobb said the council planned to expand +drop-off points to make safe disposal easier. "It's something we're definitely looking at … to stop the temptation of putting the batteries in the bins," he said.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
RI cities and towns work to combat financial strain of improper recycling
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns is teaming up with Rhode Island Resource Recovery to address the growing financial burden improper recycling practices have placed on taxpayers. Resource Recovery announced Tuesday that it has enacted a new fee structure of $20 per rejected ton of recycling, with a maximum of $250 per load. (The prior rate for a contaminated or rejected load cost cities and towns a flat fee of $250.) The top five cities and towns with the most pounds of rejected recycling per household are Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket, West Warwick and East Providence, according to Resource Recovery. RELATED: How improper recycling is costing taxpayers East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva, who also serves as the president of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, told 12 News that the taxpayers are the ones who are paying the price for improper recycling. 'Rhode Island's cities and towns are grappling with significant financial burdens, potentially costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars due to improper recycling practices,' DaSilva said. DaSilva estimated that East Providence shelled out $91,000 in fees last year to Resource Recovery for rejected loads. The capital city took a much more significant hit, having paid more than $1 million for rejected loads last year. 'They're throwing their dollars away and they're also affecting the life of the landfill,' explained Randy Rossi, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns. 'Every little piece [of recycling] that gets diverted, it exponentially increases the capacity of the landfill.' Resource Recovery has also altered its sorting system to accept partially rejected loads. Each load will now be sorted through by a waste inspector, who's job will be to identify potential contamination and remove it from what's salvageable. Rhode Islanders are still encouraged to recycle, which is why Resource Recovery has awarded a number of grants to cities and towns who plan on educating their residents on best practices. 'It's all about knowing what goes in,' Rossi said, referring to what should and shouldn't be placed in a recycling bin. The following items can be recycled, as long as they're empty, clean and dry: Plastic bottles, jugs, containers and tubs Glass bottles, jars and containers Tin, aluminum and steel cans Paper, newspapers and magazines Food and beverage containers Flattened cardboard and paperboard The following items cannot be recycled: Plastic shopping bags* Plastic wrap and cellophane film Flexible packaging, such as snack bags and pouches Cups with wax or plastic coatings Polystyrene foam and plastic containers Ropes, string, wires, hoses and chains Clothing and textiles Furniture Car parts, scrap metal and tires *Plastic shopping bags can be recycled at most grocery stores, but should never be placed into a recycling bin. SEE ALSO: What you should (and shouldn't) toss into your recycling bin Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
