Redland City Council is urging the community to ensure batteries are being disposed of correctly and never placed in household waste or recycling bins.
Mayor Jos Mitchell said incorrect battery disposal leads to fires, putting waste truck drivers, waste facility staff and the community at risk.
“As lithium batteries in particular become more prevalent in the community, we are asking our residents to ensure they are familiar with the appropriate locations for disposal,” the Mayor said.
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“By taking your batteries to dedicated drop-off points and never disposing of them in a bin, we can all achieve a fire-free 2026 and help to keep our community safe.
“You can check your nearest battery drop-off locations on the Recycle Mate smartphone app or through the B-cycle website.”
A total of six battery fires have been detected in Council waste trucks over the past 12 months, with a further two occurring at Council Recycling and Waste Centres during the same period.
In May 2025, two waste truck fires occurred within hours of each other at Capalaba, forcing drivers to unload the contents of their truck and evacuate their vehicle.
“This is a demonstration of the risk batteries pose to our waste truck drivers, the emergency services responding to these incidents, and the broader community,” the Mayor said.
“While trucks are equipped with cameras for monitoring of dangerous items, batteries are generally small and can be hard to spot when they become mixed up with other items.
“Compaction or contact with a heat or water source is all it takes for a lithium-ion battery to catch fire or explode, with AA, AAA and other common household batteries also posing a risk.
“Like all of us, waste truck drivers and workers at waste and recycling facilities deserve a safe working environment – and we can all contribute to this by keeping batteries out of bins.”
The Mayor said residents should also be mindful of batteries in everyday items such as electric toothbrushes, children’s toys, drills, laptops, vapes and vacuums.
“It is easy to make the mistake of throwing these items away without giving a second thought to what might be hidden inside,” the Mayor said.
“Please ensure you always check these items before disposing of them.
“That includes light-up decorations used for Christmas and New Year celebrations, as these are likely to contain batteries.”
Recycling and Waste Portfolio representative Cr Tracey Huges said there were several locations available to safely dispose of used household batteries.
“Places such as Aldi, Woolworths, Coles, Bunnings Warehouse and Battery World all offer battery recycling,” Cr Huges said.
“Residents are urged not to bring lithium-ion batteries or electric vehicle batteries to Council’s Recycling and Waste Centres as they are not accepted due to fire risk.
“Please also ensure you dispose of other hazardous items such as gas bottles, hot ash, flares, out of date fire extinguishers and volatile substances in the correct locations.
“You can find more details about hazardous waste on Council’s website, with further information about safe disposal of lithium batteries available on the Queensland Fire Department website.
“Making proper battery disposal part of your New Year’s resolution is an easy way to help us prevent further waste truck fires from occurring.”
