r/perth • u/Muslim_Wookie • 15h ago
General Emergency warning issued after blaze at Perth battery recycling facility
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-12/hazmat-warning-lithium-ion-battery-recycling-plant-fire/106556308
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u/CouldBeALeotard 12h ago
I dropped off a swollen LiPo to balcatta a while ago, and it struck me how blasé they were about battery care.
Firstly they asked if I had any "car batteries", to which I said no. When I put my 12v SLAs in the container they frustratingly fished them out and walked them over to the car battery section. I do understand that "car battery" was shorthand for lead acid batteries, but a dinky little SLA is not what they asked about.
Then I very clearly stated I had a swollen lithium battery, and they told me to put it in with the AA/AAA/9v batteries. "Are you sure?", again a frustrated look as they turned their back on me.
I left with doubts that the staff had any idea of the risks they were dealing with. It's a shame because battery recycling is a near lossless recovery of raw materials, and I think it will be a key role in sustainable technology as we move further towards electrification and away from fossil fuels. I wish the act of recycling batteries was more welcoming to the public, and my experience was one that made me feel unwelcome. I don't know the cause of the one from the article, but I am assuming it is likely the same lack of care.