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Board discusses lithium‑battery fires; transfer station uses special collection box
Summary
Following several nearby transfer‑station fires attributed to lithium‑ion batteries, DPW staff told the board the transfer station has a special collection box and urged residents to separate batteries for safe recycling; staff recounted recent incidents and safety procedures.
Board members discussed recent reports of fires at regional transfer stations traced to lithium‑ion batteries and described local safeguards at the New Ipswich transfer station. DPW staff said the facility has a designated collection box and a separate handling pathway for batteries destined for proper recycling. "We have a special, box that we have to talk to them in and send them out," the DPW director said, and staff urged residents to remove batteries from tools and bring them to the station rather than placing them in regular trash.
Members also discussed several recent incidents in neighboring towns where haulers had to dump loads to extinguish truck fires. The board encouraged public outreach to ensure residents know the transfer station accepts batteries and to remind people of small‑battery drop‑off options to reduce fire risk.
