The Waimakariri District Council is urging residents to stop disposing of batteries in household rubbish after a lithium battery caused a fire in a kerbside collection truck last week.

The incident occurred in Ravenswood, where the truck driver acted quickly after noticing flames in the back of the vehicle. The driver emptied the truck’s load onto the road in a nearby cul-de-sac, blocking wastewater drains before Fire and Emergency New Zealand arrived to extinguish the fire.

The fire, triggered by a single lithium battery igniting during compaction, impacted more than six tonnes of rubbish. Thanks to the driver’s quick response, no damage was caused to the vehicle.

Council Solid Waste Asset Manager Kitty Waghorn said the incident highlighted the dangers of incorrectly disposing of batteries, not only to contractors and firefighters but also to the environment.

 

“The contractors have to be careful to block sumps and drainage systems to prevent the water and fire-fighting chemicals used to douse the flames from getting into our stormwater system and polluting surface water and the soil,” Waghorn said.

“If it is a major fire, then there is more risk to the environment as more water will have to be used and there’s more chance it will enter waterways or drains.”

This is the second kerbside truck fire in recent months caused by a lithium battery, following a similar incident reported earlier in Waimate.

Lithium batteries, commonly found in everyday items such as vaping devices, children’s toys, power tools, cell phones, laptops, and e-bikes, should never be thrown in kerbside rubbish or recycling bins.

Residents can safely dispose of used batteries at the Southbrook Resource Recovery Park and Oxford Transfer Station, where household hazardous waste is accepted free of charge.

“We accept both non-rechargeable and rechargeable small household batteries, as well as lead-acid and gel batteries from standard vehicles,” Waghorn said, adding that commercial quantities are not accepted.

This was the first kerbside truck fire caused by a lithium battery in the Waimakariri District in two years and the second such incident in the region. The Council is urging residents to take advantage of the safe disposal options available to prevent further fires.