Murrindindi Shire Council is urging residents to dispose of household batteries safely after two fires have recently occurred at the Alexandra Landfill.
The landfill fires, which were caused by the incorrect disposal of batteries, have put the safety of staff, property and the environment at serious risk.
"When batteries are mixed in with general rubbish or recycling, they can be compacted in our kerbside collection trucks or at landfill sites, where they may spark against other materials and ignite fires," Murrindindi Shire Council Sustainability and Assets portfolio Councillor Sue Carpenter said.
Council is reminding residents never to place any type of battery in kerbside bins, Resource Recovery Centre waste bays, or landfill.
Instead, batteries can be recycled safely and for free in specially marked battery disposal containers at Council's Resource Recovery Centres (RRCs) in Alexandra, Yea, Marysville and Kinglake, or at participating FoodWorks supermarkets across the Shire.
To make your batteries safe for recycling, cover the terminals with sticky tape before dropping them off at a local RRC or supermarket.
"Battery fires can start small but spread quickly, putting our staff, emergency services and facilities at risk," Cr Carpenter continued. "By taking a few extra moments to recycle batteries correctly, you can help keep our community safe."
