Chautauqua County鈥檚 landfill managers are asking county residents to help prevent fires by properly disposing of rechargeable batteries. A recent fire at the county landfill in Ellery was contained by firefighters and landfill staff. 鈥淩echargeable batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries, can cause fires in waste facilities if they鈥檙e thrown out with regular trash,鈥� said Aaron Gustafson, Landfill Manager and Deputy Director of Public Facilities.
鈥淥ur landfill team has been working hard to keep these fires contained, but we need the public鈥檚 help to make sure batteries are disposed of safely to avoid putting lives at risk. This issue extends beyond waste management鈥搈any residential fires in Chautauqua County have also been caused by rechargeable batteries, underscoring the importance of proper use, storage, and disposal in homes to ensure safety.鈥�
Such fires, often sparked by improperly discarded rechargeable batteries, pose a threat to waste facility employees, the environment and general public safety. Gustafson emphasized the importance of preventing battery-related fires to maintain essential waste management services. 鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing the effects firsthand 鈥� fires at waste facilities are becoming more common, causing delays, raising costs, and straining our community resources,鈥� Gustafson said.