Proper disposal of lithium-ion batteries urged following increase in fires at regional landfill

Cells for battery manufacturing wait to be assembled into modules at Lion Electric Company's lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Mirabel, Que., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

An increase in the number of fires at the regional landfill has the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority reminding the public about the importance of properly disposing of lithium-ion batteries.

The ESWSA board of directors received a report during its Dec. 2 meeting that detailed nine fires at the landfill within the first seven months of 2025, compared to five in 2024 and just one in 2023.

The administration report said while the exact cause of most fires is difficult to identify, authority staff have positively identified a couple of fires that appear to have been started by batteries, and other fires have presented with the same type of flaring.

Manager of Waste Disposal Tom Marentette said the public needs to be aware of proper disposal methods.

“We don’t want to burden our municipal resources and fire departments with landfill fires; there’s not much that they can do. But they’re the ones who take the call first, and they have to act,” he said.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are widely used in everyday items such as personal electronics, e-cigarettes, portable power banks, lawnmowers, e-mobility products, power tools, and toys.

The report said when they reach the end of their life, many people still dispose of them improperly in the trash, recycling, or yard waste bins.

Like other batteries, lithium-ion batteries can pose a significant safety risk, as they can overheat, explode, and cause fires when damaged, crushed, or exposed to heat.

Marentette said fires at the landfill can be hard to put out.

“As the landfill develops or builds out, our waste location changes. So, it’s never the same terrain we’re trying to access to put out fires. It’s a constant challenge to get to the fire,” he said.

Marentette said it’s up to all of us to be aware that disposing of the batteries in the wrong place endangers garbage handlers and staff.

“We’ve had incidents where batteries have been placed in yard waste. Those create very dangerous situations for people; safety is top of mind. We don’t want people getting hurt over careless disposal of these things,” he said.

In 2024, the authority recovered over 16,000 kilograms, or 16 metric tonnes, of batteries through its three depots at 3560 North Service Road East in Windsor, 2021 Albuna Townline in Kingsville, and 7700 County Road 18 in Essex.

EWSWA.org has information on proper lithium-ion battery handling and disposal at end-of-life.