Lithium is a very soft lightweight white-silvery metal. At room temperature it is perfectly safe. However, when heated it releases toxic and highly flammable gas​es. Surprisingly, it is also sensitive to concentrated amounts of water.                                                                                                                                              

It reacts slowly with cold water. For example, button-batteries are a choking hazard for young children. It can cause severe burns in the esophagus when because of the chemical reaction when it comes into contact with the wet tissue inside the throat.                                                                                                                                           

Furthermore, lithium can react violently to water - FIRE happens and FLAMES ARE FIERCE. This makes it a challenge for firefighters to combat these fires. .                                                                                                                                                    

When crushed or exposed to water (especially saltwater) – FIRE happens! There are also situations beyond our control. Products can malfunction, they may be used or charged improperly, or get damaged. If this happens, they can overheat and thermal runaway occurs.                                                                                                                                                

U.S. Department of Labor/OSHA list NRTLs ​                                                                                                                         

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Testing and Certification                                                                                     

Some label examples…                                                                                                                                                                                     

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PROPER USE. MONITOR AND MAINTAIN all your lithium battery-powered possessions. Use products with original parts that come in the box and according to the user's manual.                                                               

Products that give off heat from vents need circulating air to stay cool, use them in cool rooms on solid surfaces. Bedding and soft furniture can block the vents and cause products to build up heat damaging the product.                                                

​Avoid alterations with DIY (do it yourself) modifications. If you modify a product, that means it is not being used as it was designed and this will void the manufacturer’s product warranty. Modifications can also disable built-in product safety features designed to protect and prevent fires. What’s more, if a fire occurs or there are injuries as a result, insurance companies can deny reimbursement claims.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Watch this video from Underwriter’s Laboratory to see what happens when the built-in safety features from an e-bike are disconnected.  U.L. Fire Safety Research Institute: Take Charge of Battery Safety                                                                                                                                       

CHARGE YOUR DEVICES SAFELY.  Follow ​product instructions!      ​                                                  ​
                         

• ​Use chargers and batteries that come with the product.                                                 

• Plug charger directly into wall outlet. Avoid extension cords, they can overheat!                                   

• Avoid direct sunlight.                                                                                                                           

• Watch it! Unplug when fully charged. Monitor for warning signs of failure (see STEP 3)    
    

• Disconnect charger when going to sleep or leaving your ​home.                                                

• If product, plug, or charger is TOO HOT TO TOUCH, unplug immediately and allow to cool. Discontinue use and dispose battery safely.                                                                                  

• Charge away from doorways in case a rapid escape is necessary.                                   

• Products with built-in safety features such as automatic shut-offs and over-charge protection have been known to fail.                                                 

• Learn more about product recalls from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.​                                    

Personal electronic devices (small tools, laptops, mobile phones, ​vacuums, etc.)                    
  

  

• ​CHARGE INDOORS!​                                                             

• Charge on hard surfaces. Soft furniture and bedding blocks vents and possibly cause a fire if device overheats and is unable to cool itself.                                                                                                                 

E-Bikes, E-Scooters, Hoverboards, Golf Carts, etc. (Micromobility)                                                

• CHARGE OUTDOORS!                                                

• Charge on paved surface in a well-ventilated area (a lot of airflow).                                             

• Charge at least 5’ feet or more away from structures, vehicles, and anything that can burn.                                   

• Plug charging cord directly into outlet with GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) protection.​​       ​                      ​                                                                             

DISPOSAL.                                                                                                                                                  

SWA & PBCFR Join Forces to Combat Lithium Batteries in the Waste Stream & Fire Hazards.      ​      

In April 2023, the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County invited Palm Beach County Fire Rescue to partner with them in a Public Education Campaign:  Battery Smart. Fire Smart.                                                                                                      

 

2024 Solid Waste Authority of PBC — Lithium Battery Safety (30s) — Quick tips to prevent fires when using, charging, or disposing of lithium batteries.
Watch on YouTube (Closed captions available)

​TAPE and TAKE!                                                                    ​                                          WARNING!! Lithium batteries are not allowed ​in household trash. Even when they are “dead” and “non-functional” they can heat up and cause a fire from "stranded energy"​. Likewise, if they are damaged, punctured, crushed, or complete contact with other metal surfaces they can pose a fire risk.   ​

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TAPE THE TERMINALS! Any non-conductive tape – clear packing, electrical, or duct tape – is safe. Although, the SWA of PBC prefers the use clear non-conductive packing tape so staff at the SWA can verify battery condition in order to sort and safely pack for shipping. Tape keeps the contacts from touching metal surfaces and becoming energized.                                                

TAKE them to your nearest PBC SWA Home Chemical Recycling Center (HCRC) or nearest​ retailer drop off location  or a​ retailer that sells batteries. You can find locations near you Call2RecycleLocator with Earth911 or by calling 1-800-CLEAN-UP.                                              ​                           

Response by the Waste Industry. Lithium batteries in the waste stream are likely to start a fire if they get crushed; are exposed to water; or if the battery terminals contact other metal surfaces.                                   

​Disposal the right way to avoid danger. When batteries made of lithium are thrown into the garbage, they are likely to get damaged by other items thrown inside with them. Think about where our garbage goes – in large garbage trucks with tons of other garbage and then to the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County. Even if the batteries are inside the electronics, they can break or get crushed. If that happens, the lithium energy can escape and cause a fire. Moreover, if the battery terminals are exposed and touch something conductive (i.e., aluminum drink cans, metal coins, inside walls of the garbage truck), electricity and heat can travel through it and – FIRE happens! This can and has caused fires inside garbage trucks. Imagine if this happened in your kitchen or bathroom trash.                                                              ​                                   

                                   

Products that fail may be due to damage (dropped, puncture, exposure to water, etc.), or a manufacturing defect. Defects and reports of malfunctions prompt product recalls by the manufacturer or by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
                                

If you notice any of warning signs, stop using it and bring outside if it is safe to do so. Place on paved surface away from people and property and treat them as if they are damaged to dispose safely.  (See DDR: DAMAGED, DEFECTIVE, or RECALLED lithium battery operated products)                                                                    

• Changes in shape – swelling 
• Melting, leaking 
  
• Corrosion 
• Too hot to touch 
• Unusual odor or burning smell 
• Unusual sounds – hissing, popping, etc. 
• Smoke/vapors or haze 

If you feel your life is in danger, get out and call 911 right away!                                           

DDR: DAMAGED, DEFECTIVE, or RECALLED lithium battery operated products. DDR's require special handling!                                                            

Damaged? Keep broken and failing LiB separate from other batteries. As soon as possible, seal them in a plastic bag and place in a metal container or bucket filled with sand or kitty litter. The plastic bag prevents battery terminals from touching metal surfaces and becoming energized.  Bring them to staffed SWA HCRC site ​(West Palm Beach and West Delray Beach) during business hours and alert staff taking them so the container can be placed in a separate non-combustible room awaiting pickup. Or, visit Call2Recycle to purchase a special DDR recycling container for shipping in compliance with U.S. DOT (Department of Transportation) requirements for safe transport.                                                    ​
                                

Defective? You can anonymously report an unsafe product with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission SaferProducts.gov – host to thousands of types of consumer products.                                                                

Recalled? Register your consumer products online or by mailing in the product registration card. Complete the product registration card. If there is a safety alert or recall, you will be contacted for next steps and actions to take. Monitor your delivered mail and emails for alerts related to products you own. Register online with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for all product recalls.                                                                              

Lithium is a very soft lightweight white-silvery metal. At room temperature it is perfectly safe. However, when heated it releases toxic and highly flammable gases. Surprisingly, it is also sensitive to concentrated amounts of water.                                                                                                                                            

It reacts slowly with cold water. For example, button-batteries are a choking hazard for young children. It can cause severe burns in the esophagus when because of the chemical reaction when it comes into contact with the wet tissue inside the throat.                                                                                                                                           

Furthermore, lithium can react violently to water - FIRE happens and FLAMES ARE FIERCE. This makes it a challenge for firefighters to combat these fires. .                                                                                                                                                    

Thermal runaway is a violent chemical and thermal reaction. Lithium burns at temperatures reaching 2,000°F The battery cells overheat and the energy and temperatures inside the battery module increase uncontrollably – faster than they can cool. The battery membrane fails and tiny lithium-ion cells shoot out of the module like tiny rockets and can start fires. People and pets in the line of fire will undoubtedly suffer devastating burn injuries and property can burn.                                                                                                                                                       
          

How do firefighters extinguish these fires when water is their primary tool? Evacuate the area - Life Safety is first priority. If possible, remove the source from other combustibles and drown with a seemingly unending supply of WATER!! Leave it to the professionals. Firefighters are highly trained and use the most appropriate strategies and tactics for any emergency.Oftentimes, if firefighters can protect exposures and there is no danger of the fire spreading, the most appropriate tactic to keep people and the environment safe is for firefighters to allow the fire to consume itself – meaning the fire burns until there is no more fuel to burn. Firefighters render the situation safe – burn all the fuel and prevent it re-ignitions. This expression in the fire service is also known as “letting it burn itself out” until the danger is eliminated. In other words, no more fuel means no more fire danger. This tactic is common with fuel tanker truck fires because water will extinguish the flames but there is still fuel so this creates an extremely hazardous and unstable situation for the firefighters – the fire can easily reignite.    ​