Lithium Ion Batteries Keep Exploding In New York City Garbage Trucks, Which Is A Problem

Despite being a known issue for literal years, garbage trucks keep going up in flames due to people improperly disposing of lithium-ion batteries. Back in late May, a garbage truck caught fire in Brooklyn, moderately injuring two Department of Sanitation workers, according to PIX11. A department spokesperson said a lithium-ion battery was the likely culprit despite it being illegal to throw lithium-ion batteries in the trash or recycling.

Per the National Fire Protection Association, New York City alone saw a total of 800 lithium-ion battery fires that resulted in 30 deaths and 400 injuries between 2022 and 2025. Throw one—or an old device that happens to have one, such as a laptop, phone, or power tool—into a garbage truck that automatically crushes whatever is thrown into it, and you have a recipe for some very toxic, very rapid fires. This type of battery's flammable nature, by the way, is why the TSA has restrictions when it comes to storing them in checked luggage.

Lithium-ion-trash-truck fires have been an ongoing bugbear for sanitation departments, not just in NYC, but across the country for years. The City of Roseville near Sacramento, for example, recently saw its fourth garbage truck catch fire this year recently for this very reason, according to CBS News. The fire department in Troy, Michigan, meanwhile, recently posted this garbage truck that had to dump its load onto the road after a pile of batteries inside started catching fire.

Without this turning into a full-on chemistry lecture, lithium-ion batteries catch fire when a short circuit occurs internally, often triggered by physical damage that breaks the separator keeping the battery's anode and cathode apart. This creates instant heat, which can causes the electrolyte to chemically decompose, releasing flammable gases, and possible ignition.

So, if you shouldn't throw lithium-ion batteries out in the trash, what should you do with them? The answer will ultimately depend on your specific municipality, but in NYC at least, you should bring them to one of the thousands of dedicated drop-off sites, which you can find here with this Battery Network online locator tool. Taking a cursory glance at the network in Manhattan, there are indeed quite a few around, and a lot seem to be located inside Staples stores and Duane Reade pharmacies. Batteries should be bagged (Battery Network can provide some) or you can cover the positive terminals with tape.

Kind of a hassle? Sure. But if it saves even one local sanitation worker's literal skin, it's probably worth it.