Athens-Clarke County sanitation workers used a full load of trash to extinguish a garbage truck fire believed to have been sparked by improperly discarded batteries.
Waste Management officials said the fire broke out as a crew was collecting trash in the Country Club Estates neighborhood, forcing the driver to immediately unload the truck's contents to put out the flames.
No injuries were reported, and crews later cleared the debris from the area.
Waste Management officials said the incident reflects a growing trend of battery-related fires in trash trucks across the country.
“These fires put our drivers, first responders, and the public at risk,” officials said in a social media post. “Batteries MUST be removed from items before disposal and taken to the proper recycling location.”
According to the EPA, batteries placed in household trash can lead to fires, explosions, toxic chemical leaks, regulatory violations and environmental hazards. Federal and state regulations require proper battery recycling or disposal.
Free battery recycling is available at several locations in Athens-Clarke County, including the CHaRM facility on College Avenue, the Solid Waste Department on Hancock Industrial Way, the county landfill on Lexington Road, and fire stations on Cleveland Road, Danielsville Road, and Jefferson Road.
