HELENA — There has been an increase in fires caused by discarded lithium batteries this year, impacting city solid waste services and the Lewis and Clark County landfill.
The City of Helena Transfer Station is expanding its lithium battery recycling program.
“Previously we were working with a company called Call2Recycle and they were shipping us small individual cardboard boxes that batteries had to be packaged individually in plastic and that was a free program. Back in April, they decided they were going to start charging us," City of Helena Sustainability and Recycling Coordinator Miranda Griffis said.
The expansion is through the same company and is called the One Drum recycling kit which includes 55-gallon barrels and fire suppressant to be able to ship batteries in larger quantities and in a more efficient way without taxpayer burden.
“It will increase our diversion of batteries out of the landfill as well as we have had several fires over the past six months so it will hopefully reduce the amount of lithium battery-caused fires," Griffis says.
The expansion highlights safety and convenience, especially due to multiple landfill fires and a garbage truck fire that occurred near homes.
“There are dangers to residents, to homeowners, and everybody involved,” Griffis says
Residents are asked to place all lithium battery devices under the large red sign labeled “lithium battery drop-off”, near the e-waste section of the transfer station recycling area.
“We are just urging residents to keep them out of your trash cans and keep them from going to the landfill because we want them to be recycled properly," Griffis says.
The goal is to make it easier for residents to recycle their lithium batteries properly and safely.
