Hazardous waste items, namely batteries, put into household rubbish or recycling for collection are causing a rising number of fires in rubbish and recycling trucks in the Auckland region. The same risk applies to construction site waste.
The fires have been occurring more frequently than ever over the last 18 months (26) with the most recent ones caused by batteries/electrical appliances that have been put into household recycling and rubbish bins for collection.
General Manager Waste Solutions Parul Sood says, “These fires pose a potential risk to the public as well as the truck drivers and their vehicles. Once drivers see a fire in a truck, they have to quickly find somewhere suitable to tip the load out, call Fire and Emergency to extinguish it and try and determine the cause of the fire.
“These fires are preventable, and we urge residents to dispose of their hazardous waste, and particularly all forms of batteries, the right way to stop any more happening.”
Where to take them:
https://www.computerrecycling.co.nz/
