Heres what you need to know before you throw out your old lithium batteries

February 18, 2022 8:37 PM

Tasha Cain-Gray,

Posted: February 18, 2022 8:37 PM

by Tasha Cain-Gray

SPOKANE, Wash.– Don’t just throw your old lithium batteries away in the trash, they could start a fire.

The City of Spokane says that’s what it thinks caused on at its Waste to Energy Facility this week.

City leaders say the exact cause of the fire is still being looked into, a lithium battery that was thrown away in the trash is the expected culprit.

“Lithium batteries are in so many of our consumer products from cell phones to power drills, and they are a known fire risk,” said Chris Averyt, the City’s Solid Waste Management Director. “Safety is a paramount concern; we must protect our citizens, our employees and the facilities paid for by public dollars. And fortunately, we have some good options to dispose of these batteries.”

Here’s what you can do with old batteries:

Take your batteries to the Household Hazardous Waste drop off area at the Waste to Energy Facility
Put them in a clear plastic bag and place them on top of your garbage cart so your route driver can collect them
Check out the regional Waste Directory to determine where else you can recycle and dispose of batteries

You can find lithium batteries in a lot of things around your house like smartphones, laptops, watches, lawn and power tools.

You can find more information on throwing away your old batteries safety here.