A fire that resulted in a garbage truck having to dump its load in a car park in southern Sydney has prompted calls for consumers to safely dispose of lithium batteries.
Firefighters say garbage truck fires caused by batteries are increasing, creating life-threatening situations for truck drivers and workers at waste facilities.
Waste crews are dealing with up to four fires every week, a workers' industry group says.
An incorrectly disposed of battery ignited a blaze inside a truck during collection in Bardwell Valley in Sydney's Bayside Council area earlier this month.
No staff were hurt during the incident and firefighters extinguished the blaze after the truck dumped the refuse.
Superintendent Adam Dewberry, from Fire and Rescue NSW, said these incidents were occurring more frequently.
"Lithium-ion batteries in particular, when they're crushed [and] dropped can become very unstable and ignite with explosive force," Superintendent Dewberry told ABC Radio Sydney.
"It starts popping, smouldering, gassing off and then ignites with a fierce heat exchange.
"They are an intense fire."
Tony Khoury, from Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA), said waste collectors and processes regularly dealt with battery fires.
"Based on reports from our members, there are three or four fires a week across New South Wales that are caused by batteries in waste and recycling trucks, recycling centres, transit stations and scrap metal recycling yards," Mr Khoury said.
In February, batteries ignited a fire inside a truck collecting recycling in Condell Park in south-west Sydney.
Delayed ignition a major threat
Battery fires can also cause massive amounts of damage hours after igniting, sometimes even hours after they appear to not be burning.
Superintendent Dewberry said he had witnessed a house burn down due to a smouldering battery that the homeowner had thought they had extinguished.
"Thought they had it out [and] put it to the side or put it in their back room," Superintendent Dewberry said.
"It reignited about half an hour later and they lost their house."
Mr Khoury said one of their member's recycling sites in Western Sydney caught fire due to a battery fire that began after the yard had closed.
"That incident was captured on camera that a member had installed across the yard … which saw smoke start to omit from a stockpile," Mr Khoury said.
"The stockpile hadn't been touched for several hours."
Correct disposal the best prevention
Superintendent Dewberry has asked consumers to search online for their nearest battery recycling locations.
"We recycle cans and plastic bottles, batteries are no different," Superintendent Dewberry said.
"It may prevent a fire in the future."
Household waste or recycling bins are not suitable for battery disposal and can pose a risk to waste workers, Mr Khoury said.
"Batteries can be disposed of in dedicated purpose-built bins provided by retailers," Mr Khoury said.
"New South Wales householders can also drop off problem waste such as batteries at community recycling centres, which are funded by the EPA, all year round free of charge."
