Things went wrong last week at waste processor Renewi in Vlaardingen. A huge fire started in the warehouse of the company. Batteries and accumulators found among the waste were thought to be the cause. And it’s not the first time something like this has happened.
Explode in bunker
“We see it happen often enough. Those fires are a thorn in the side of this industry,” said Peter van Kessel, spokesperson at Renewi. “We are often viewed as the perpetrator when a fire starts.”
–
–
Batteries are supposed to be thrown away at special points, but in practice this is not always the case. That’s why things go wrong, according to Van Kessel. “It is often thrown in the residual waste. When that waste is collected, it is flattened so that we can take more waste with us. This creates pressure.”
When it is subsequently dumped in bunkers, oxygen is added. “When the material is under pressure, a spark can form. It can explode in those bunkers. Therefore, the waste must be separated, we must try to prevent that spark.”
Lithiumbatterijen
So be careful when disposing of your batteries. Although not every battery is the same. Particular attention should be paid to lithium batteries, says Erik Kelder of TU Delft. “These are the new batteries that are used for everything: for telephones, laptops, electric bicycles.”
–
–
“Those batteries consist of an organic solvent and that is where the danger is. That is flammable,” continues Kelder. Those batteries come in different shapes: from buttons to regular cylinder batteries. “Lithium carbon is stored inside that battery. It reacts very strongly to water and oxygen and can lead to fire.”
So it can be a lot of trouble if you do not throw the batteries in the waste bin, but simply take them to a special point.
–
–
