Handling lithium-ion batteries

With a parade of over 60 waste disposal vehicles, Germany's waste and disposal industry demonstrated in Berlin on 10.10.2023 for the safe handling of lithium-ion batteries.

Kommunaservice Jena was also represented with a vehicle to emphasize the demands as a municipal waste disposal company.



Below is a news article from Abfallwirtschaft Münster - awm:

At the beginning of the year, we experienced first-hand the damage that can be caused by incorrectly disposed of rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries during a fire in the reception area of our residual waste treatment plant. Battery fires endanger lives and health, destroy equipment and cause damage running into the millions. This is why batteries should never be disposed of in the residual waste garbage can or in the recycling garbage can - neither loose nor in old electrical appliances.

The three waste management associations BDE, BVSE and VKU called for the demonstration. The background: more and more electronic devices contain lithium batteries, such as e-cigarettes: E-cigarettes, which have recently also been on the market as "disposable e-cigarettes", greeting cards or flashing sneakers. Devices that previously only worked with a cable, such as headphones, loudspeakers, etc., are coming onto the market in their millions without a cable but with a lithium battery.



What is initially positive for consumers because devices can be used on the move for a long time, however, poses major problems when it comes to disposal. Li batteries can quickly cause devastating fires, whether in waste collection vehicles or in waste collection facilities. We are now registering daily fires caused by batteries in various treatment plants and waste collection vehicles throughout Germany. These fires pose a real risk to the life and limb of employees and can also jeopardize waste disposal safety and destroy livelihoods.

Batteries and old electrical appliances can be handed in at the designated collection points, such as recycling centers or specialist retailers. They will be safely disposed of and recycled there. Patrick Hasenkamp, awm Operations Manager and VKU Vice President, emphasizes: "Manufacturers and politicians also have a duty to stop such major fires. We are therefore calling on politicians to expand producer responsibility and promote the circular economy. In 2023, it must be possible to build long-lasting electrical appliances, it must be possible to have them repaired and replace the batteries instead of throwing them away!"