Danger of fire due to incorrect batteries: garbage drivers on duty in Schwante!

Danger of fire due to incorrect batteries: garbage drivers on duty in Schwante!

On Thursday morning, August 28, 2025, a remarkable incident occurred in Schwante, Oberkrämer municipality, drawing public attention to the dangers of improper battery disposal. Employees of the local waste disposal company discovered smoke in the load of a bulky waste truck around 8:30 a.m. The garbage collectors reacted quickly and dumped the burning contents onto the street before alerting the fire department. The Vehlefanz local fire brigade was quickly on the scene and was able to bring the fire under control. Fortunately, no one was injured and the garbage truck was undamaged.

The initial investigation results indicate that incorrectly disposed of batteries were responsible for the fire. This discovery highlights an increasingly pressing problem: fires in garbage trucks and recycling plants are becoming more frequent as more lithium-ion batteries from various devices end up in household waste and end up in the disposal process. According to a report by tagesschau.de, a three-digit number of fires occur every day, most of which are caused by improperly disposed of batteries and accumulators.

Danger of fire from old batteries

An example of the alarming development is a major fire in a paper waste warehouse in Neukölln, Berlin, on May 31, 2023, which was probably caused by an incorrectly disposed of battery. Experts estimate that one or two large fires are started in the waste management sector every day, burdening the affected companies with immense costs in the double-digit million range. The industry therefore urgently calls for public education to make people aware of the risks of incorrect disposal. Initiatives like “Brennpunkt: Batterie” try to raise awareness.

The fact that used batteries in the garbage can often lead to dangerous heat development and thus to burning containers shows that education is essential. Small damage to batteries can cause explosive fires, and the increasing number of batteries and accumulators used in households may threaten the safety of waste disposal companies. The waste disposal companies are therefore firmly against illegal disposal of household waste.

Policies and return systems

Only recently, on August 17, 2023, the new European battery regulation came into force, which places the expectation and emphasis on the proper return of used batteries. The aim is to regulate the entire value chain from the extraction of raw materials to the waste phase with new regulations to restrict substances that are harmful to health and the environment. The Federal Environment Agency has given the Ear Foundation responsibility for taking back used batteries, and consumers are encouraged by the EU BattVO to hand in their old batteries to over 200,000 collection points, which are often located in supermarkets and electronics stores.

The obligation to take back also applies to manufacturers of products with permanently installed batteries. Return options for consumers are essential to ensure that used batteries do not end up in the trash. In addition, according to current statistics, only just over 50 percent of all batteries in Germany are properly recycled, which results in both safety risks and waste of raw materials.

In summary, the events in Schwante do not only represent a local problem, but are indicative of a nationwide trend that is alarming for the environment and the safety of everyone involved. The waste management industry and municipalities are working together to find solutions and educate the public about the dangers of incorrect battery separation. The case has once again made it clear that a good hand is required here in order to avoid future dangers.