Collection truck fire caused by lithium battery
Waimakariri District Council media release: 20th January 2024
The Council is urging residents to avoid throwing batteries in their rubbish, after a fire broke out in a kerbside collection truck last week.
The driver was collecting rubbish in Ravenswood at the time. He acted quickly when they noticed a fire had started in the back of the truck. They were able to empty the load onto the road in a nearby cul-de-sac and cover the wastewater drains before Fire and Emergency New Zealand arrived to extinguish the flames.
The fire began when a single lithium battery ignited while passing through the truck's compactor. It’s estimated that more than 6 tonnes of rubbish was impacted.
Fortunately, there was no damage to the vehicle due to the contractor’s quick thinking.
Council Solid Waste Asset Manager Kitty Waghorn said aside from posing an immediate risk to the contractor and firefighters, these types of fires can also have an environmental impact.
“The contractors have to be careful to block sumps and drainage systems to prevent the water and fire-fighting chemicals used to douse the flames from getting into our stormwater system and polluting surface water and the soil.
“If it is a major fire, then there is more risk to the environment as more water will have to be used and there’s more chance it will enter waterways or drains.”
Lithium batteries are found in commonly used household items such as vaping devices, children’s toys, power tools, electric toothbrushes, cell phones and laptops, as well as e-bikes and e-scooters.
People can bring their used batteries to the collection points at Southbrook Resource Recovery Park and Oxford Transfer Station.
“It’s free to drop off household hazardous wastes at both sites, but we don’t take commercial quantities. We accept both non-rechargeable and rechargeable ‘small’ household batteries (up to battery tool size), as well as lead-acid and gel batteries from standard vehicles,” Kitty says.
This was the first truck fire in the Waimakariri District in two years caused by a lithium battery.
Other items we can't accept in kerbside rubbish bins
- Explosives and flammable material;
- Automotive products, paints and solvents;
- Household cleaners;
- Liquid and dry chemicals; and
- Gas bottles or any form of gas canisters.
Learn more about kerbside collections in the Waimakariri District.