South Australians will have their first opportunity to recycle embedded battery products for free at a trial drop-off event being held on the weekend of Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 November, from 9 am to 3 pm. This event is being driven by the increasing risks of fires from batteries being placed in kerbside bins.
Batteries placed in kerbside bins have been responsible for nearly 10,000 fires and fire events reported by industry across Australia in the last few years. As more and more of our electronic devices come with embedded and non-removable batteries, this fire risk is increasing. A fire caused by a battery in the Adelaide Hills just last week caused more than $150,000 damage to a waste collection truck.
As we head into bushfire season it is more important and timelier than ever to look at reducing the threat of fires to our waste and recycling industry, to protect staff who perform the essential service of processing waste and recycling in South Australia, as well as plant and equipment.
This trial event will inform the future development of pathways for battery recycling in SA. The good news is that there are already many options to recycle batteries and e‑waste in SA, so for many common household batteries and electronic devices, South Australians can access free disposal services now without needing to wait for the trial drop-off event.
These services for e‑waste and certain types of batteries are permanent options that will remain available after the weekend event that focuses on embedded battery products.
Locations
These sites will be open from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 November:
