City of Boise: Hazardous waste can lead to garbage truck fires

BOISE, Idaho (CBS 2) — After yesterday's garbage truck fire, the City of Boise wants residents to know that improper disposal of hazardous waste poses a significant threat and often leads to these types of accidents.

"While the cause of this week’s garbage truck fire is still under investigation, the last three truck fires for Republic Services have been caused by improper disposal of hazardous waste, including lithium batteries," Public Works officials said. "Used lithium and lithium-ion batteries are considered hazardous waste. Rechargeable batteries, used in electronics (such as laptops), power tools and button batteries should all be taken to a hazardous waste collection site."

The city offers free disposal of household hazardous waste at the Ada County Hazardous Waste Facility located at the landfill.

"The countywide program collects an average of 1.4 million pounds of hazardous waste or over 52 pounds per household per year," officials said.

“It’s incredibly important that residents be thoughtful about what they throw into their trash and recycling carts,” said Peter McCullough, Materials Management Program Manager with the City of Boise’s Public Works Department. “Situations, like we saw this week, are a reminder that there are real people who must handle these materials on a daily basis, and what gets set out at the curb has real implications for those drivers.”

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