Battery fires at trash facilities are becoming more common nationwide, and Wyoming isn’t immune to the problem. There have been two battery-related fires in Teton County in less than six months, and officials are warning of the dangers.

From tools to toys, rechargeable or long-life batteries power a lot of the things we use for work and play. But when those batteries die and won’t recharge, throwing them in the garbage creates a fire risk in garbage trucks and at waste and recycling facilities.

North Dakata has approved its first battery storage sites, but fire regulators are raising some alarms.

April is recognized as National Earth Month. Environmental and recycling groups are leveraging the month to spread awareness for a growing concern in the United States: improper disposal of lithium-ion batteries.

The National Waste & Recycling Foundation, alongside the U.S. Forest Service, have created a campaign titled “Skip the Bin! Turn Your Batteries In!” to help promote safe battery disposal. (U.S. Fire Administration/usfa.fema.gov)

NATIONAL WASTE & RECYCLING FOUNDATION
Design/Fabrication: Clyde, ET Global GmbH
Amid a sea of screens and sensors, the National Waste & Recycling Foundation (NWRF) zigged where most exhibits zagged. It employed a low-tech yet high-impact experience to launch its national campaign: “Skip the Bin! Turn Your Batteries In!”