New Zealand’s waste and recycling industry is calling for increased regulation for disposing of small batteries, to reduce safety and environmental concerns.

WasteMINZ, the Waste & Recycling Industry Forum, Auckland Council and Christchurch City Council have joined together to ask the government for immediate action to prevent small batteries from being disposed of with general waste or in kerbside recycling.

WasteMINZ chief executive Nic Quilty said the increasing number of battery-related fires in New Zealand’s recycling and waste sectors is a significant safety and environmental concern. The industry is calling for action to:

• Implement a policy framework to prevent small batteries from being disposed of with general waste or in kerbside recycling.
• Expedite the creation of a mandatory product stewardship scheme for small batteries (under 5kg) and associated electronics, to improve recycling and reduce fire risks.
• Develop national campaigns and resources to reduce inappropriate battery disposal.

Lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries, often embedded in everyday electronics like vapes and mobile phones, pose a growing risk of fire when improperly disposed of, particularly in rubbish bins or recycling collections.

“With the increase in use of personal electronic items, anecdotal evidence shows us that there has been an increase in fires caused by damaged batteries, particularly lithium-ion and lithium," Nic said.

“New Zealand has a noticeable lack of national direction, messaging and infrastructure to ensure safe of disposal small batteries.

“With every region developing solutions for their own area, it is confusing for everyday Kiwis to understand how they are supposed to safely get rid of used batteries – resulting in more fires each year.”

Fires triggered by batteries in Auckland alone have increased sharply, with 17 fires reported in the first three months of 2024, compared to 13 during the whole of 2023. These fires not only endanger frontline workers but also cause significant financial strain on local councils and businesses through equipment damage, insurance hikes, and disruption of operations.

Nic said a mandatory product stewardship scheme, where the cost of disposal is incorporated into the price of the product, would provide the necessary funding for separate collection, sorting and recycling, as well as national communications. It could also help drive better product and battery design.

“New Zealand is not alone in grappling with this issue,” Nic said.

“Last month, ten of Australia’s peak waste and recycling industry organisations also called for the Australian government to act on small battery disposal.

“This is an issue that cannot be ignored.

“If we do not develop better regulation for small battery disposal in New Zealand, fires in waste and recycling facilities will increase, causing significant risk to our people and costing our businesses more every year.”

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