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TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – After the holiday shopping and gifting season has concluded, you might be entering the new year with some fresh gadgets.
Fire authorities are alerting that disposing of specific electronics, tools, or toys in regular waste could lead to a fiery disaster. The core issue centers around lithium batteries.
“You must never discard them in household garbage or bins that you place on the curb,” mentioned Sheldon Collins, the public information officer for the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department.
Collins emphasized that improperly discarding lithium batteries in the trash can lead to grave repercussions.
“They can ignite if they are compromised, if they are overcharged, or if they are kept in areas that are not at room temperature,” Collins explained.
TFRD has even begun training on electric vehicle fires, which can arise from lithium batteries present within.
“This has altered our training methods, but we are acquiring a lot of knowledge about how to manage these batteries,” Collins stated.
Waste management firms assert that waste trucks can also catch fire if a trash compactor squashes a lithium battery. This is what one company suspects nearly occurred with one of their trucks last month after the refuse inside a garbage truck ignited.
Collins noted that these fragile batteries are found in more devices than one might assume.
“They are primarily found in electronics, items we use daily such as headphones,” Collins said. “They can be present in computers, laptops, certain toys, vehicles, and handheld power tools.”
If you are uncertain whether a product has a lithium battery, Collins suggested checking the packaging for an indication that it utilizes lithium batteries.
“It is essential to dispose of them correctly,” Collins remarked.
If they don’t belong in household trash, where should they go? Collins mentioned that there are specialized facilities that can recycle these batteries. A few local hardware and battery shops offer drop-off boxes for lithium battery recycling.
Websites such as Earth 911 and Call2Recycle can help identify battery recycling sites near your location.
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