Queenstown Lakes District Council has issued a reminder for those disposing of batteries after a fire at Whakatipu Recycling Centre last week.
The council said the incident was a “close call”, with the building placed at risk.
“However, thanks to the swift response from facility staff and emergency services, all staff were evacuated, and the blaze was brought under control.”
Initial investigations by Fire and Emergency New Zealand suggested the fire may have been caused by a battery being run over by a loader pushing material.
The fire was the second in as many weeks following a similar incident at the Victoria Flats Landfill two weeks ago.
Queenstown Lakes District Council operations manager Laura Glendhill said the fires shouldl be a “stark reminder” of the serious dangers of improper battery disposal.
“Batteries — in particular, those containing lithium — can easily ignite, especially when damaged. We urge everyone to make sure they recycle or safely dispose of their batteries at designated drop-off points to prevent incidents like this from happening again.”
Glendhill said: “Never throw a battery in any bin. While the source of this particular fire was unable to be confirmed, it’s highly likely that it was a battery, and that’s a risk we can’t afford to ignore.”
Last December, Queenstown Lakes District Council’s solid waste team launched the “Keep it Cool” campaign with the message to never bin a battery. It is again reminding residents to take a proactive approach to safe battery disposal.
How to recycle batteries
For safe disposal, people could recycle household batteries and battery-powered devices for free at drop-off points such as transfer stations, or at participating hardware stores.
In 2024 alone, 12 of 13 waste-related fires were likely linked to batteries in Queenstown. Queenstown Lakes District Council said that impacted the landfill, transfer stations, recycling facilities, and waste collection vehicles across the district.
Analysis showed hazardous waste in Queenstown Lakes District kerbside collections had “more than doubled” since 2019, with lithium-ion batteries and vapes being a particular concern, as they were highly flammable if damaged or improperly disposed of.
