A fire that badly damaged a waste and recycling facility in Nova Scotia has prompted the organization’s manager to issue a blunt warning about the disposal of lithium-ion batteries with regular garbage.
Andrew Garrett, general manager of Valley Waste Resource Management in Kentville, N.S., says that when these batteries are crushed or damaged, they can spark a fire — a dangerous problem that has become all too common in recent years.
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Garrett says images from a security camera inside a transfer station in Clarence East, N.S., show the fire starting in a small, regular waste pile early on Thursday morning.
Garrett says the fire, which smouldered at first, was likely ignited by a damaged lithium-ion battery, which are typically found in cellphones, cordless tools and many other electronic devices.
He says too many people remain unaware that when these batteries are worn out, they must be packaged properly and taken to a hazardous waste site or a drop-off location.
Garrett says that in the past three years, Valley Waste has dealt with eight other smaller fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, including a fire last year in Kentville that damaged a large trailer.
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