Battery safety awareness campaign

Central Coast Council wants to help spread awareness about the importance of disposing of batteries safely and correctly. 

Why binning batteries is dangerous? Throwing used batteries away in general waste and recycling bins is a serious fire hazard. Any battery that holds a charge can spark and cause a fire. Lithium batteries are particularly dangerous. If crushed inside a collection truck they can self-ignite and cause explosive fires.  Industry estimates there are three fires a week in waste and recycling collection trucks attributed to batteries. This comes at a huge cost to councils, industries and communities. Button batteries are a particular fire risk because they have a large battery terminal that can easily spark. They can also cause internal burns if swallowed by small children and pets.

Download the ‘Never Bin Your Batteries – Battery Awareness Campaign Key Messages’ for more information below. 

Never Bin Your Batteries - Battery Awareness Campaign Key Messages What you can do? 

If you have used batteries lying around, get rid of them safely at a B-cycle accredited drop off point. Central Coast Council currently has two safe drop-off points at its:

Ulverstone Administration Centre Penguin Service Centre   Taping batteries save lives Taping batteries with clear sticky tape reduces the risk of fires. The tape is non-conductive and prevents batteries sparking. Taping button batteries reduces the likelihood of being swallowed or ingested by small children and pets. And, if they are, it reduces the risk of internal burns.

Download the ‘This tape saves lives -Battery safety awareness campaign key messages’ for more information. 

This tape saves lives -Battery safety awareness campaign key messages