The company says fires sparked by batteries in devices such as vapes, old cellphones, laptops and power tools put both employees and first responders in danger.<\/p>\n
COLUMBUS, Ohio \u2014 Rumpke Waste & Recycling is warning residents across Ohio to stop placing devices with lithium ion batteries in curbside recycling bins after a series of fires at company facilities in recent weeks.<\/p>\n
The company says these fires sparked by batteries in devices such as vapes, old cellphones, laptops and power tools put both employees and first responders in serious danger.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything rechargeable, your laptops, your cellphones, your tablets \u2014 all of those products have lithium ion batteries in them,\u201d said Rumpke spokesperson, Leah Dietle. \u201cThey\u2019re small, fragile and produce high amounts of heat. If they\u2019re damaged in a truck or piece of equipment, they can explode and start a fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
In July alone, Rumpke reported nine fires linked to batteries at its recycling facilities: five in Columbus, three in Cincinnati and one in Dayton. The most recent occurred in Columbus a couple of weeks ago, when a small cellphone battery sparked flames inside the facility\u2019s trommel, the first step in the sorting process.<\/p>\n
Rumpke has fire suppression systems in place, but crews also call local fire departments when a fire breaks out.<\/p>\n
Dietle said many residents are unaware of the dangers because batteries can be hidden in everyday electronics. Smaller batteries are especially risky because they can slip through the sorting process undetected.<\/p>\n
If you need to dispose of devices containing lithium ion batteries, Rumpke recommends taking them to drop-off locations such as Batteries Plus, Staples, Home Depot or Lowe\u2019s. Residents can also visit call2recycle.com<\/a> to find a location nearby.<\/p>\n While no one was injured in the recent fires, Rumpke warns the outcome could be different if disposal habits do not change.<\/p>\n The company also noted an unusual trend: an average of five bowling balls per week showing up in the recycling line. While less likely to ignite, they can damage equipment, disrupt operations or hurt an employee.\u00a0<\/p>\n