リチウムイオン電池でんち 火災かさい相次あいつぎ 自治体じちたいに適切てきせつな処分しょぶん推進すいしんを通知つうち

As incidents of fires and accidents caused by lithium-ion batteries continue to occur, a survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has revealed that nearly half of the municipalities collecting batteries from households have either incinerated or buried them, or simply stored them, due to reasons such as being unable to find disposal contractors. In response, the Ministry has issued a notice urging proper disposal.

Discarded lithium-ion batteries catching fire in garbage trucks: Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in rechargeable products such as mobile batteries and smartphones. When they are thrown away mixed with other garbage, there have been a series of cases where they catch fire in garbage trucks or waste processing facilities during collection, causing fires.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications conducted a field survey of 50 cities nationwide from May to July last year to clarify the actual situation regarding the collection of products using lithium-ion batteries. The survey found cases of incineration, landfill, and storage.

According to this, 47 cities have been regularly collecting items as hazardous waste and by setting up collection boxes in various locations.

However, in 23 cities, it was found that the municipalities are incinerating, burying, or simply storing the waste themselves due to reasons such as being unable to find disposal contractors.

Among the municipalities that are storing them, there have been concerns raised by staff about the risk of fire, and there have also been cases where the storage methods were found to be inappropriate.

Based on the survey results, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications issued a notice to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of the Environment, requesting them to ask product manufacturers and others to add more items to the voluntary recall list, and to provide information to municipalities to promote proper collection and disposal.

Fires breaking out in garbage trucks: NITE issues warning with a reenactment video As cases of lithium-ion batteries being thrown away as household waste and causing fires in garbage trucks have been increasing, NITE National Institute of Technology and Evaluation has released an experimental video reenacting a case where a mobile battery was discarded, urging people to be cautious.

The footage shows a mobile battery using a lithium-ion battery being crushed by a garbage truck, soon followed by white smoke caused by the emission of flammable gas, and eventually the battery catching fire and intense flames erupting.

Also, there are cases where, after breaking, it suddenly emits white smoke and bursts.

Report on Waste Disposal Facility Fire: Strengthening of Firefighting Equipment Needed - Moriya, Ibaraki In December last year, a fire believed to have been caused by the inclusion of a lithium-ion battery occurred at the Joso Environmental Center, a waste disposal facility in Moriya City. Even after more than half a year, the facility has not yet been restored, and the situation continues where the processing of non-burnable waste is outsourced to private companies.

The administrative association formed by the four surrounding cities is considering a full-scale restoration project over the next two years or so, and has estimated that it will cost several billion yen.

In this context, the administrative association compiled an accident report, stating that the facility was equipped with a system designed to prevent ignition and explosions by injecting steam to lower the oxygen concentration and by spraying water for fire extinguishing. Although these systems functioned properly at the time, they were unable to contain the spread of the fire.

It appears that the prolonged burning characteristics of hazardous materials such as lithium-ion batteries exceeded the assumptions of the fire prevention system.

For this reason, in addition to thoroughly raising awareness about the proper disposal of lithium-ion batteries, it was stated that, as a medium- to long-term measure, it is necessary to strengthen fire-fighting equipment such as sprinklers and detection systems using infrared technology.