The increasing frequency of fires triggered by discarded batteries and accumulators is emerging as a significant and escalating challenge for German municipalities, according to the German Association of Cities (Deutscher Städtetag). Christian Schuchardt, the organization’s chief executive, highlighted the growing problem in an interview with the “Rheinische Post”, describing a daily occurrence of fires erupting at municipal recycling facilities and within refuse collection vehicles.
The core issue, Schuchardt explains, stems from the pervasive inclusion of small batteries in numerous consumer goods, coupled with the persistent practice of improperly disposing of accumulators and batteries within general household waste streams. These incidents pose a direct threat to the safety and well-being of waste management employees, but their ramifications extend far beyond immediate physical danger.
Beyond the risk to personnel, the fires are causing substantial damage to waste processing plants, vehicles and refuse containers. This destruction undermines the reliability and stability of waste disposal infrastructure, a crucial element of public services. Significantly, the financial consequences are also mounting. Municipal waste management companies are facing rapidly increasing insurance premiums, or, in some cases, are finding it impossible to secure insurance coverage at all due to the heightened risk profile.
Schuchardt is sharply critical of the federal government’s response, arguing that an opportunity to adequately address the issue was missed with the recently passed Act on Waste Electrical Equipment. He points to successful strategies implemented in France and Belgium, such as the prohibition of disposable e-cigarettes, as models for Germany to emulate. He is now demanding that the federal government implement more effective regulations to preempt further incidents and mitigate the escalating financial and logistical burdens on municipalities. The persistent underestimation of the hazards associated with improperly disposed batteries represents a preventable crisis jeopardizing both public safety and the stability of essential municipal operations.