Tip, don’t trash, your batteries

Published 19 January 2026

• Council’s waste facilities are averaging 12 battery-related fires a month as incidents continue to rise across Queensland, putting waste trucks, facilities, workers, and communities at risk
• All City of Moreton Bay waste facilities can now accept batteries for safe to disposal
• Council's ‘Don’t Bin your Batteries’ campaign encourages correct battery disposal practices

Beat up batteries carelessly tossed in the bin are causing headaches for City of Moreton Bay’s waste facility workers who have already had to deal with an average of 12 battery-related fires a month.

In the wake of a post-Christmas deluge of electronic toys and devices being switched on over summer, Council is calling on residents to dispose of old batteries the right way to avoid fires breaking out at waste facilities due to incorrect disposal by residents.

Used general household and rechargeable batteries – including lithium batteries - can now be dropped off at any one of City of Moreton Bay’s waste facilities, making safe disposal even easier.

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said batteries were not a simple throwaway item and should be treated as hazardous.

“First and foremost, batteries and waste don’t mix. When thrown into household or recycling bins, they pose serious fire risks during collection and processing which has led to more than 200 fires across Queensland in the past year alone,” he said.

“In Moreton Bay, our contracted trucks have dealt with some 17 ‘hot load’ events between November 2023 and November 2025 which have resulted in either fire, smoke or chemical incidents. We’ve also seen dangerous spot fires erupt at our waste facilities, which are caused by batteries hiding in general waste being compacted during the landfill process. 

“By taking your batteries to one of our waste facilities or a designated drop off point, you can do your part to reduce the risk of fires and keep our staff safe.”

Helping to drive home the safe battery disposal message is Council’s ‘Don’t Bin your Batteries’ campaign.

“There’s any number of e-scooters, kids’ toys, power tools and phones that contain lithium batteries which can become a ticking time bomb if they are just thrown into your bin,” Mayor Flannery said.

“They can spark fires, cause toxic gas emissions and lead to environmental harm.

“Ultimately, we want people to remember to bin smart and stay safe. With all of our waste facilities now accepting batteries and a number of local disposal points offered throughout Moreton Bay, let’s do the right thing.”

In addition to Council’s waste facilities, residents can also take loose batteries to local disposal points, including Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and Bunnings.

Battery terminals should be taped over to prevent sparking prior to disposal.

For more information on a battery disposal location near you, head to https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/Services/Waste-Recycling/Disposal/Batteries-Household or visit www.bcycle.com.au/drop-off/