In Summary
- Residents are reminded not to place household batteries, vapes or e-waste in kerbside bins due to the serious risk of fire and environmental harm.
- Items like lithium-ion batteries can ignite when compressed in waste trucks or at transfer stations, posing a danger to staff and the community.
- Batteries and e-waste can be disposed of for free at the Shepparton, Ardmona and Murchison Resource Recovery Centres.
- Proper disposal helps recover valuable materials and prevents eco-toxic metals from polluting soil, groundwater and harming wildlife.
Batteries, including vapes and other e-waste, must never be placed in the kerbside bins as they are at serious risk of fire. Many everyday items like laptops, phones and toys contain hidden batteries. This includes vapes and e-cigarettes which contain lithium-ion batteries and chemicals.
If batteries or items containing batteries are placed in the kerbside bins, they can become compressed in the truck or puncture during loading activities, which can cause an explosion. This makes them extremely dangerous if disposed of in your bins at home.
Residents can dispose of batteries, vapes and other e-waste for free at the Shepparton, Ardmona and Murchison Resource Recovery Centres.
“Lithium-ion batteries are the most common form of household hazardous waste, and they can be found in many small electronics we use today,” Council’s Manager Resource Recovery Liam Moller said.
“Many batteries are highly sensitive to temperature changes and can easily catch fire when disposed of in household bins. Fires can also ignite in the collection vehicles and at transfer stations, where batteries can come into contact with flammable waste, posing a serious risk to the safety of our staff and community.”
Batteries contain eco-toxic metals and elements that can spread into the environment when they are disposed of in landfill. These materials include nickel, cadmium, lead and mercury which can pollute soil and groundwater and be harmful to animals and humans.
Australians use millions of household batteries each year and 97 per cent of them end up in landfill, equating to over 8,000 tonnes per year.
“Many of these elements can be recovered and used to make new batteries if they are collected for recycling and processed correctly. All batteries need to be disposed of properly and safely,” Mr Moller said.
To find out more, visit greatershepparton.com.au/batteries
For opening hours and more information about the Shepparton, Ardmona and Murchison Resource Recovery Centres, visit Council's Resource Recovery Centre webpage here.
