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Lithium batteries are in nearly everything we own. I have six or seven in my shed for lawn equipment and power tools. Then we also have the much larger versions that power electric vehicles. If any of those get damaged or puncture, as often happens during end-of-life processes at waste yards, these things burn like propane torches with water having little to no effect. The fires burn hot and burn for a long time, exposing the public nearby to a toxic mix of emissions. It is also a large public safety issue.
My guests this week are trying to do something about this. Assemblyman Bill Moen (NJ-5th District) and John Thomas (Managing Partner, Recycling and Waste Solutions) believe that there is no one magic bullet for this problem. It's too complex. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) rules hold some promise but are tricky since most of these batteries are made overseas. Education and recycling incentives are also critical, but historically, recycling programs have largely had trouble realizing their full potential. But interestingly, I learned during this discussion that dogs are amazing at identifying these batteries, so we have that going for us.
All kidding aside, until we can divert much more of these batteries from the general waste streams, these fires will continue to get worse. I applaud Assm Moen and John for trying to lean into this topic and affect some positive change. It will save lives.
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