Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek has urged residents to do the right thing when throwing out batteries, following three garbage truck fires this year.
His plea comes as Council launches a campaign that highlights the dangers of putting all batteries in household bins and advises residents on how they can discard them safely.
The latest incident occurred when an e-scooter battery thrown in the red bin is believed to have sparked a garbage truck fire, which resulted in the entire load to be dumped in a car park at Riverwood last week.
Of most concern are everyday items like children’s toys, mobile phones, and power tools, that are being thrown in the red and yellow bins.
Mayor El-Hayek said that batteries in bins are a ticking timebomb and put our drivers and the community at risk.
“We all have to be vigilant and think twice about what we are placing in our bins,” Mayor El-Hayek said.
“I don’t want to see anyone hurt and that’s why we are launching this campaign. It’s about educating our residents and trying to warn them of the dangers.
“The message to residents is simple, recycle right and don’t put batteries in any of your bins.”
Council’s campaign follows a recent survey, which showed a large number of residents were unaware of the dangers of placing batteries in their bins.
Residents are being encouraged to utilise B-cycle, an online Government accredited stewardship scheme, where residents can type in their post code and find a battery drop off location near them.
Drop off locations include major retailers like Woolworths, Coles, Bunnings, Officeworks, IGA and Aldi.
For more information, and to find your closest B-cycle drop off location, visit cb.city/Batteries