Fires at the Capital Regional District's Hartland Landfill are on the rise, and one of the main culprits is something you might have at home right now: lithium-ion batteries.
These rechargeable batteries from your phone, laptop or e-bike are safe when handled and stored properly, but when tossed in your household garbage or blue box, they can become a serious fire hazard.
At the landfill, lithium-ion batteries are at risk of being punctured or crushed by heavy equipment, which can trigger thermal runaway and ignite a fire.
However, these fires don’t have to happen: Proper battery disposal makes all the difference
Hartland Landfill has a strong emergency response system in place and works closely with the Saanich Fire Department to manage and extinguish fires quickly, but prevention is key.
Every fire puts workers at risk and strains emergency resources. The best way to prevent these fires is simple: never put lithium-ion batteries in your household garbage or curbside recycling.
Instead, take them to a designated drop-off location for safe disposal.
How to prevent battery fires
Fire prevention starts with you, and it’s easier than you might think:
- Drop batteries off for free at the Hartland Depot – open at 1 Hartland Ave. on the Saanich Peninsula, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. A wide variety of items can be recycled here in addition to the batteries and other household hazardous waste.
- Use the “What Goes Where” tool at crd.ca/whatgoeswhere to search for other drop-off locations near you.
Don't let an end-of-life battery spark the next fire. Dispose them safely and help protect your community this summer.
Learn more at crd.bc.ca/hhw