Batteries force 'hot loads' dumped in Tweed rubbish trucks

Batteries force ‘hot loads’ dumped in Tweed rubbish trucks

In the past six weeks, three garbage truckloads in the Tweed have caught fire, forcing drivers to dump ‘hot loads’ out of their trucks to prevent more serious blazes.
Tweed Shire Council has said the fires are likely the result of batteries being incorrectly disposed of in residential bins.

The Australian Council of Recycling estimates that there are between 10,000 and 12,000 battery-related fires a year across waste and recycling streams in Australia.

In the case of garbage trucks, when they begin emitting smoke from their hoppers, drivers are trained to discharge the loads because continuing to drive fans the flames. The truck’s compaction system, which is designed to press material down and circulate air, can exacerbate a fire if it ignites inside.

Once the loads are dumped, fire crews are called in, clean‑up crews are mobilised, and the materials are doused and removed.

While the recent incidents in the Tweed have been dealt with effectively, their regularity has raised concerns, not only for council operations and costs, but also for public safety and the protection of residents’ property.

Rod Dawson Unit Coordinator – Resource Recovery at Tweed Shire Council, has urged residents to consider where and how they are disposing of batteries.

“It’s not only wasteful, messy and expensive, but it puts our drivers in danger of smoke inhalation, burns or injury if the fire spreads inside the vehicle,” Dawson said.

Batteries — especially lithium‑ion and rechargeable ones — contain reactive and combustible materials. When crushed or damaged, such as under compaction inside waste trucks, they can short circuit, overheat, vent gas or ignite.

A single embedded battery in a discarded devicesuch as a vape, electric toothbrush, toy or power tool, can spark a fire that becomes catastrophic when mixed with other waste under pressure.

Tweed Council is urging all residents to treat batteries as hazardous waste and adopt safe battery disposal practices.

The most critical rule for safe battery disposal is to never put batteries or battery-embedded devices in kerbside bins (red, yellow, or green). For recycling, residents should use designated drop-off points: small household batteries and mobile phones can be taken to council offices; larger batteries (car, lithium, household, laptop) must go to resource recovery centres. If a battery is damaged or swollen, immerse it in water and contact a resource recovery unit for specific advice before transporting.

“The disposal of batteries might seem complex, but it’s worth spending time getting it right, or there can be major consequences,” Dawson said.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority is conducting a pilot trial in several Community Recycling Centres to accept embedded battery products – including vapes – for free disposal.

For more information, visit: www.tweed.nsw.gov.au