After experiencing three garbage-truck fires in six weeks, officials in Australia have sounded the alarm on the disposing of lithium-ion batteries in the trash or curbside recycling, according to Waste Management Review.

What's happening?

Around the world, waste-management experts have been warning the public of the dangers of improperly disposing of lithium-ion batteries, which can be found in everything from vaping devices to electric toothbrushes to smartphones. 

The Australian Council of Recycling has said that batteries have sparked between 10,000 to 12,000 fires per year in the waste-management system of that country alone, per Waste Management Review. 

When a battery-related fire breaks out on a garbage truck, crews are trained to dump the entire load, as continuing to drive can fan the flames and put workers at increased risk. 

"It's not only wasteful, messy and expensive, but it puts our drivers in danger of smoke inhalation, burns or injury if the fire spreads inside the vehicle," said Rod Dawson, the unit coordinator for resource recovery at Tweed Shire Council, according to Waste Management Review.

Tweed is located in New South Wales, roughly 90 miles south of Brisbane. 

Officials have tried to spread public awareness that batteries cannot be disposed of in normal waste-disposal streams but need to be taken to designated drop-off points where they can be handled properly.  

Why are battery fires important?

As devices containing lithium-ion batteries have proliferated, waste-management officials have seen a dramatic increase in the number of fires in the waste-disposal system. Experts have attributed much of this uptick to the growing prevalence of battery-containing vaping devices. 

In the U.K., the nonprofit Material Focus observed a 71% increase in battery-related fires within the waste-disposal system in a single year, a phenomenon the group has labeled "vapocalypse" because of the high number of vaping devices responsible for such fires. 

Similarly, according to Ryan Fogelman, who since 2016 has tracked fires at landfills and recycling centers, has seen record numbers of fires in recent months, something he has attributed to what he calls the "vape effect," according to an article he wrote that appeared in Waste360. 

Do you throw your old batteries in the trash? Yes — always 😬 Sometimes 🤷 My city picks them up ♻️ I recycle them myself 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"I attribute much of this change to the 'vape effect,' a rise in lithium-ion battery fires caused by the improper disposal of vapes, which we've seen grow significantly over the past four years," Fogelman wrote in Waste360.

Vaping devices and their batteries not only pose a risk within the waste-disposal system. Officials in England recently attributed a house fire that charred a bedroom to a vaping device.

These fires can have far-reaching consequences.

"Battery fires are happening more often. They've destroyed homes, burned down garbage trucks and recycling centers, and — tragically — taken lives," said the website of the battery-safety campaign known as Battery Safety Now. "When a facility goes up in flames, trash and recycling services can be shut down for weeks or even months."

Improperly discarded vapes pose risks beyond fires, as well. According to a review of the scientific literature, vape devices contain many hazardous substances, from heavy metals like lead and mercury to dangerous chemicals used as flame retardants, that can leach into the soil and water supplies, threatening public health and the environment. 

What's being done about battery fires?

In order to reduce the risk of battery-related fires, officials have been trying to raise awareness about the risks of improperly disposing of vapes and other battery-containing devices and highlight the importance of discarding used batteries at appropriate drop-off sites.

The Battery Safety Now campaign, for example, has tried to educate the public with its "Skip the bin! Turn your batteries in" slogan. Additionally, its website offers a free tool that makes it easy for people in the U.S. to locate a designated battery drop-off site near them. 

"The disposal of batteries might seem complex, but it's worth spending time getting it right, or there can be major consequences," said Dawson, the Australian fire-unit coordinator, according to Waste Management Review. 

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.