Holiday Fire Dangers: Proper Disposal of Lithium-ion and Other Batteries

Battery Fire Hazards in Hillsborough County

• ⚠️ Hillsborough County has experienced over 30 garbage and recycling truck fires in the past three years due to improper battery disposal.
• 🚨 Officials urge residents to think twice before discarding any batteries in regular trash or recycling bins.

Lithium-ion Battery Safety

• ⚡ Lithium-ion batteries are found in many rechargeable electronics like cell phones, vapes, power tools, and game controllers.
• 📌 These batteries should not be thrown in the trash or recycling, as they can be punctured or compressed, leading to sparks and fires.
• 📍 They must be dropped off at designated disposal locations within your county for safe and proper handling.

Disposal of Other Battery Types

• 🎶 Batteries in items like singing holiday cards, certain toys, or decorations may be plain lithium or single-use batteries.
• 📦 Even these non-rechargeable batteries should ideally be brought to designated drop-off locations.
• 🩹 For safety, officials recommend taping the terminals of these batteries and placing each one in a separate bag before disposal.

Alkaline Batteries and General Precautions

• 🗑️ Only alkaline batteries are generally permitted for disposal in regular trash.
• 🚫 Regardless of battery type, never attempt to take batteries apart; always follow proper disposal guidelines.
• 🚒 Improperly discarded batteries pose a significant and dangerous fire risk to waste management workers and equipment.