Tom Ingleton
Whittlesea chief executive Craig Lloyd has urged residents to keep batteries, gas bottles, and e- waste out of household bins after two recent fires in recycling trucks.
“We’ve had two recent fires in our recycling collection trucks–one from a gas bottle and one from a battery. Neither of these items belong in any bin,” Mr Lloyd said.
“When compacted, these items can spark and catch fire in the truck, putting our drivers and our community at risk.”
Last week , five tonnes of recycling were lost to fire, and a truck was severely damaged, which “may take up to six months to replace, potentially causing broader collection delays,” Mr Lloyd said.
“To keep our drivers safe, we need everyone to keep batteries, vapes, gas bottles, gas canisters, and e-waste out of all household bins. You can use our drop off points around the community to recycle them safely for free,” Mr Lloyd said.
Details of drop-off locations are available on the council’s website.
