A battery collected from a household wheelie bin has sparked a serious fire in the Bundaberg suburb of Bargara, with the rubbish truck driver’s quick-thinking saving the truck and protecting lives.
The serious incident occurred inside a Bundaberg Regional Council truck. The Council says the incident is far from a rare occurrence, with more than 30 fires a year being recorded in Council trucks or waste facilities, all started by incorrect battery disposal.
“Battery fires are a very serious concern which unfortunately is occurring all too often,” said Waste and Recycling portfolio spokesperson, Councillor Jason Bartels.
“These fires start when batteries are thrown into household wheelie bins which is why we are trying to raise awareness that the safe disposal methods are free and easily accessible.
“It is not just loose batteries which pose a fire risk but also batteries embedded into items which are being disposed of like electric toothbrushes and toys.
“Residents are asked to tape the positive end of the battery or bag it and locate a dedicated battery disposal point for free disposal.
“This adds an extra layer of safety during transport and handling.”
After smoke was observed coming from the truck the Council driver acted quickly to drive into a vacant lot in Kepnock and empty its contents onto the ground before moving the vehicle a safe distance away.
Cr Bartels thanked the staff member and emergency services involved for helping to keep the community safe.
“We are so lucky that there were no injuries or significant damage as a result of this collection truck fire,” he said.
“This particular incident occurred close to a shopping centre and houses and our quick-thinking driver prevented a disaster.
“We’re calling on the community to do their bit to keep everyone safe and learn about safe battery disposal.”
For safe battery disposal remember:
- Tape the terminals of used batteries or bag them in a clear plastic bag.
- Drop them off at designated battery recycling points.
- Never place batteries in kerbside bins. This includes loose batteries and items with embedded batteries such as toys, remotes and scooters.
- Use designated disposal points. Find disposal points by searching the Recycle Mate map or by downloading the app to your mobile device.
Larger batteries such as car batteries, power tool batteries and embedded types can be safely disposed of at Council waste facilities.
Council is actively raising awareness about the hazards of incorrect battery disposal through the Let’s Get It Sorted Campaign which is supported by the Queensland Government Recycling and Jobs Fund.
This includes the delivery of copies of Council’s Handy guide to waste and recycling to thousands of homes.
