Most people know how dangerous batteries can be, not only by starting fires but also by leaching dangerous chemicals into the ground when they end up in landfills. What many people don’t know is how to properly discard of batteries when they’re no longer useful. In the first 7 months of 2025, there were more than 250 fires at waste and recycling facilities in the U.S. and Canada, causing an average of $22 Million at each facility. Since 2020 there have been at least 89 deaths directly related to lithium-ion battery incidents in the U.S. Woodsy Owl and the Forest Service are leading a campaign for safe battery handling called “Skip the Bin- Turn Your Batteries In”. Used batteries should be taped off at both ends. Safe disposal locations can be found at locator.batterynetwork.org. In Redding they include Lowes, Home Depot and City of Redding Solid Waste on Abernathy Lane.
-Steve Gibson