Household batteries are increasingly linked to fires in bins, rubbish trucks and recycling facilities as post-Christmas clean-ups begin across Australia.
Fire authorities, councils and waste operators across the country have issued repeated warnings this summer, as battery-related fires continue to damage vehicles, facilities and put workers and communities at risk.
B-cycle CEO Libby Chaplin said summer is a high-risk period, particularly following Christmas when households are more likely to discard old electronics and used batteries.
"Batteries don't belong in household bins," Chaplin said. "When batteries are crushed in waste or recycling bins or rubbish trucks, they can ignite and cause fires very quickly. These incidents are happening now, and they are largely preventable."
New national data confirms the scale of the issue and the opportunity to reduce risk.
B-cycle's Positive Charge Report provides new national insights into battery use and disposal, estimating that Australian households currently hold more than 110 million loose or removable batteries, with the average home storing around 11 used batteries across everyday items such as toys, tools, remotes and electronics.
While the new report data shows household behaviour is improving, nearly half of households are still disposing of batteries in general waste or recycling bins at least some of the time, continuing to drive preventable fire incidents.
"After Christmas, many homes have new devices and a lot of used batteries," Chaplin said. "If those batteries are thrown away into waste or recycling bins, they create a real fire risk for households, waste workers and emergency responders. There is also a risk if batteries are littered as they can spark a fire if they are damaged during routine mowing or slashing."
Although the risk is lower, fire risk can also begin inside the home if batteries are stored incorrectly, "Many people assume that used or flat batteries are completely inactive, but they can still hold residual energy," Chaplin said. "When batteries are stored loose in drawers, containers or garages, and their terminals touch, or if the batteries are damaged, they can spark or overheat."
"That's why it's important to tape battery terminals, store batteries safely and recycle them as soon as possible. These simple steps significantly reduce fire risk."
The latest data from B-cycle also shows Australians now have more access than ever to safe battery recycling, with more than 5,700 B-cycle Drop off points nationwide and 95% of Australians living within a 15-minute drive of a Drop off location.
"The ease and convenience in recycling means there's no need for batteries to go in bins or be hoarded in homes," Chaplin said. "The steps are simple: tape the terminals, store batteries safely, and take them to a B-cycle Drop off point."
"As battery use continues to grow, particularly lithium batteries, summer clean-ups and post-Christmas disposal are a critical moment for action," Chaplin said. "Doing the right thing with batteries helps protect workers, infrastructure and communities this summer."
