Battery in garbage starts truck fire in Hermiston
By Joe Hathaway on Monday, March 25th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
HERMISTON – A good reminder to never dispose of lithium-ion batteries in the garbage.
Umatilla County Fire District No. 1 says it responded to a fire in a garbage truck on Friday, March 22. Firefighters say it was started from a lithium ion battery in a garbage truck’s trash compactor.
No word of any further damage was reported, other than what burned inside the garbage truck.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries and devices containing these batteries should not go in household garbage or recycling bins. They can cause fires during transport or at landfills and recyclers.
Instead, Li-ion batteries should be taken to separate recycling or household hazardous waste collection points.
To prevent fires, which can happen if batteries come in contact with each other or with other metals, the EPA recommends taping the battery terminals (or connections) with non-conductive tape. Electrical tape is preferred, but all adhesive tapes not made of metallic material will work. Alternatively, placing each battery in its own plastic bag also isolates the terminals.
Photo via Umatilla County Fire District No. 1
