Calling all New Yorkers — YOU have the power to prevent recycling fires! In 2018, a total of 323 reported fires occurred at waste facilities across the US and Canada, some of these events causing injury and, in some cases, death, to recycling workers and firefighters.

Do your part to protect our communities and keep rechargeable batteries out of household recycling bins. Rechargeable batteries should NEVER go in your household recycling bin with your paper, plastic, metal, and glass. When they get crushed and moved around during transportation and sorting processes, they can catch fire or explode causing dangerous and costly fires in trucks and facilities. Often, these fires are managed with taxpayer dollars, so the next time you are unsure of how to dispose of your rechargeable batteries, think twice!

These materials require separate collection and can be brought to retailers who sell new batteries near you. When properly recycled, rechargeable batteries can be made into renewed items such as silverware, golf clubs, new batteries, or pots and pans. For more information on proper rechargeable battery recycling and recycling locations, visit https://ontariocountyrecycles.org/154/Batteries,  https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/72065.html, or https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/.

Adapted from #RecycleRightNY resources.