After a recent find at the Altona Rhineland Waste Disposal site, Altona officials are reminding residents about the importance of proper battery disposal, particularly lithium ion batteries. Public Works Manager Clint Derksen says workers found in a public access bin a weed trimmer with the battery still attached, and were able to remove it before it landed in the dump and was compacted.
"They get into the active cell, and then we compact it," Derksen explained. "It's a 60,000 pound piece of equipment that's the size of a small building. You're actively looking for batteries to pull out, but obviously they're not going to catch them all. When that thing rolls over the battery, it ends up piercing the casing and causing a short on the inside. On a lithium ion battery that immediately is sparking and causing a lot of heat. Anything combustible beside it generally seems to catch on fire."
According to a social media post from the Town, these types of batteries are one of the leading causes of landfill fires.
Safety, cost and environmental factors all at play
"On average, it costs around $1,000 per hour for the fire department to respond to a landfill fire, not to mention the additional cost of landfill staff time and equipment," noted the post.
Derksen says this latest scenario showed how some may not be aware of the risks, and that's why the Town is pushing out the messaging once again. It's important to note the trimmer and battery that were found did not cause a fire, because it was found in time and diverted properly, but it's a strong example of how battery related fires can start.
Several free battery drop off locations are available in town including at Blue Sky Opportunities, the Altona Civic Centre, Altona Public Works Shop and the Landfill office. For automotive batteries, there is also a designated no-charge drop-off area at the landfill.