Blue Mountains City Council is reinforcing the message of safe rubbish disposal after a recycling truck was forced to undertake an emergency unload after its contents caught on fire.
Council says the 23 December truck fire was likely caused by the incorrect disposal of hazardous waste such as batteries.
“Batteries should never be put in waste and recycling bins, whether they are the standard batteries found in torches and toys or those found in laptops, mobile phones, and power tools,” Council said in a statement.
It said commonly used lithium batteries have been responsible for several recent fires across the waste industry.
Blue Mountains Mayor, Mark Greenhill said he was relieved that no-one was injured in the recent blaze and has urged residents to be careful about what they put in their waste and recycling bins.
“It was only through the quick actions of the driver and NSW Fire and Rescue that the fire was safely extinguished,” he said.
“This is a reminder of the dangers of disposing hazardous chemicals and batteries incorrectly in our waste and recycling bins.
“Please dispose of these things responsibly. They are hazardous waste and can cause a lot of damage if not handled correctly.
“Council provides a range of opportunities for the free and safe disposal of hazardous waste to residents, and I would urge you to make use of these.”
Hazardous waste including batteries, gas bottles, fuel cans, flares, butane canisters, paint, chemicals and products labelled ‘corrosive’, ‘toxic’, ‘flammable’ or ‘oxidising agent’ should never be placed in waste and recycling bins.
These materials can be disposed of several ways, including battery drop-off points at both our waste facilities in Blaxland and Katoomba, and scheduled Chemical Clean-Out Events for household chemicals.
