On Tuesday, Lane County Commissioners are poised to accept a grant to expand a program that’s aimed at keeping batteries out of trash and recycling streams.
Maya Buelow, a Lane County Waste Reduction Specialist, said two types of household batteries often end up in Lane County’s Short Mountain Landfill: alkaline batteries which are safe to throw away, and lithium ion batteries, which can explode, or burn, when damaged.
She said batteries sparked nearly 60 "thermal events" at Short Mountain last year, and have started fires in the back of garbage trucks, endangering workers and equipment. The county says "the number of fires at the landfill has more than doubled since 2018."
“In those situations they’re surrounded by paper that can just go up in flames, or in a recycling truck where there's recycling and paper, and these can cause catastrophic fires,” Buelow said.
She said lithium ion batteries are often found in toys, medical devices and electronics. They are usually labeled lithium ion or nickel–metal hydride or with similar acronyms.
She said the $1,019,547 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will help the county pilot curbside battery pickup, expand dropoff locations and educate the public.
She said the county hopes to roll out those options in January.
When improperly stored, lithium ion batteries can also cause house fires and injuries if they combust with people nearby.
Buelow said anyone with batteries at home they’re not sure what to do with can take them to one of the county’s current drop off locations. While they are waiting to dispose of them, people should keep them in a clear plastic bag, and tape each terminal end to prevent the batteries from sparking on each other.
Correction: This story has been updated to clarify dates and terminology.
