Recycling centre blaze likely caused by battery: Fenz

A fire which broke out last week at the Wakatipu Recycling Centre in Queenstown is believed to have been started by a battery — which is turning out to be far from a rare occurrence.

Lithium batteries and vaping material have more than doubled in waste streams in the district in four years, increasing fire risk as pleas go out to dispose of them more carefully.

The fire, which happened last Thursday morning at the Glenda Dr facility, was described as a close call by the Queenstown Lakes District Council in a statement.

Thanks to the swift response from facility staff and emergency services, all staff were evacuated, and the blaze was brought under control, the statement said.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) initial investigations suggested the fire may have been caused by a battery being run over by a loader pushing up material.

It marks the second such incident in as many weeks, following a similar fire at the Victoria Flats Landfill two weeks ago.

Council operation and contracts manager Laura Gledhill said the recent fire at the recycling centre served as a stark reminder of the serious dangers associated with improper battery disposal.

"Batteries, in particular those containing lithium, can easily ignite, especially when damaged.

"We urge everyone to make sure they recycle or safely dispose of their batteries at designated drop-off points to prevent incidents like this from happening again.

"Never throw a battery in any bin.

"While the source of this particular fire was unable to be confirmed, it’s highly likely that it was a battery, and that’s a risk we can’t afford to ignore."

The council said there were free drop-off points such as the Frankton and Wānaka transfer stations, or at hardware stores such as Mitre 10.

Used batteries and battery-powered devices should be kept separate from regular waste and taken to these recycling stations.

Recent data underscored the critical importance of proper battery handling and recycling, the council said.

While most of the community was doing the right thing, it was essential to understand the potential consequences of improper battery disposal.

One improperly discarded battery could cause wide spread damage and lead to potential environmental contamination.

Last year, 12 of 13 waste-related fires were likely linked to batteries, impacting the landfill, transfer stations, recycling facilities, and the waste collection vehicles in the district.

"These figures highlight the serious threat improper battery disposal poses to our waste streams and infrastructure," the statement said.

Solid Waste Analysis for the Queenstown Lakes district in the 2023-24 year showed hazardous waste in kerbside collections has more than doubled since 2019.

Lithium-ion batteries and vapes were of particular concern, as they were highly flammable if damaged or improperly disposed of. — APL