Unicycle nearly causes fire at Winnebago County Solid Waste facility. A reminder of why removing batteries matters.

Brandon Reid, Oshkosh Northwestern
·3 min read

OSHKOSH - While you may be aware rechargeable batteries exist in cell phones, laptops or rechargeable tools, those found in what's referred to as "battery-containing devices" may be less obvious.

Examples of these include Roombas, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, game controllers, children's toys, and electric toothbrushes and razors.

In a recent news release, Winnebago County Solid Waste urged residents to remove and properly recycle rechargeable batteries before disposing of battery-containing devices.

Here's more about why removing batteries is important and how to know what batteries pose the greatest risk.

Why is removing batteries so important?

According to Solid Waste, near closing time a few weekends ago, a Winnebago County Solid Waste employee smelled a pungent odor of smoke coming from a waste pile in the Solid Waste/Recycling Transfer Station, 105 W. County Road Y, Oshkosh.

After finding the smoldering device, the employee removed the device from the building and, within seconds, the batteries inside burst into flames.

The fire was extinguished, but Solid Waste said had it gone unnoticed, the device — later identified as a battery-powered unicycle — could have ignited other waste materials, causing activation of the facility's fire suppression system and a full response by the fire department.

While fire suppression systems are in place to help protect the building, fighting fire puts lives at risk and uses resources that are needed elsewhere, Solid Waste said.

Although a potential fire was avoided, Solid Waste said it is not uncommon for solid waste and recycling facilities to experience fires as a result of the unsafe disposal of rechargeable batteries and battery-containing devices.

Battery-containing devices are easily damaged in traditional waste collection methods and the batteries inside are known to spontaneously combust when pinched, smashed or otherwise damaged, Solid Waste said.

"Both garbage and recycling can catch on fire easily and it spreads fast," said Jessica Hanson, Solid Waste communications and program development specialist, in the news release. "Residents need to understand that additional steps may be required to dispose of materials that are not common household waste. Taking a few extra steps will help keep our solid waste workers safe and public services fully functional."

How are residents to know which batteries may spark a fire?

When it comes to battery-containing devices, Solid Waste said to "remember your ABCs." Before throwing items in the trash:

  • A: Ask yourself — did you need to charge the device for it to function? Many items that get plugged in to charge and then run on their own likely contain a rechargeable battery.

  • B: Next, is there a power button? If it has a power button, it likely has stored electrical energy in a battery pack.

  • C: And finally, is there a caution label on the device? The label will show if a device contains high-powered rechargeable batteries.

If the answer to any of those questions is yes, Solid Waste said to use Tri-County Recycling's Waste Wizard at RecycleMoreTriCounty.org to determine if you should recycle the item as e-waste. If not, then remove the battery before disposing of the device in your household garbage, Solid Waste said.

People can recycle rechargeable batteries for free at locations such as Winnebago County Solid Waste or local home improvement stores.

Solid Waste noted alkaline batteries do not pose a fire risk and are safe for garbage disposal.

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Contact Brandon Reid at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @breidHTRNews.

This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh garbage: Unicycle almost causes fire at Winnebago County site