Thanks to the fire department’s quick response, the fire was extinguished promptly and no one was injured. However, due to the vehicle being out of service, there may still be occasional delays in bulky waste collection in the district over the next few days. AVL is working with its waste management partner to minimize the impact as much as possible and asks affected residents for their understanding.
AVL is also using this incident as an opportunity to highlight the importance of safely disposing of batteries and rechargeable batteries. Improperly disposed-of rechargeable batteries can cause fires in garbage trucks and sorting facilities and pose a significant danger to people and the environment. Lithium-ion batteries, in particular, can ignite suddenly with flames that are difficult to extinguish if they are damaged by a garbage truck’s compactor.
Rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries should therefore never be disposed of with general waste or bulky waste. Instead, designated collection points—such as recycling centers or retail stores—should be used.
