Polk County’s Waste and Recycling Division hosted a “Lithium-Ion Fire and Chlorine Release” exercise at the North Central Landfill on Wednesday. The four-hour exercise, which was funded by the Central Florida Regional Planning Council, prepared staff to effectively and safely deal with a lithium-Ion battery-related emergency at the landfill.
“Lithium-ion batteries are all around us,” said Dale Henderson, director of the county’s Waste and Recycling Division. “They’re in our laptops, phones, toys, the list goes on and on. They’re not supposed to end up at the landfill, but they often do, either because residents don’t realize they’re throwing the batteries in the garbage, or because they think they’re not doing any harm.”
Lithium-ion batteries can easily overheat, rupture and ignite fires, releasing toxic gases and creating a bad situation at the landfill.
The exercise was facilitated by Emergency Response Educators and Consultants. Participants included Polk County Fire Rescue, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Emergency Management, the Broward County landfill, Lakeland Electric, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Forest Service.
There have been four lithium-ion fires at the North Central Landfill in 2024. So, ideally, lithium-ion batteries don’t end up at the landfill. To that end, Polk County residents can drop off used lithium-ion batteries at the county’s Household Hazardous Waste facility. Check www.polkwastewise.net for location details and operating hours. You also can visit www.call2recycle.org to locate nearby battery recycling drop-off spots in your area. “We brought these community partners together to review our current policies and to identify needs with regard to lithium-ion batteries,” Henderson said. “That way, when the worst-case scenario occurs, we’re ready to work together. The landfill is a unique, ever-changing landscape, and it takes a prepared group of professionals to keep it safe.”
By Polk County
