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Three Garbage Trucks Catch Fire in California After Crushing Dozens of Lithium-Ion Batteries

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Erin Marquis
·2 min read
Image: Campbell Police Department
Image: Campbell Police Department

A company in California tasked with recycling returned electronics for Amazon improperly recycled dozens of lithium-ion batteries, resulting in three garbage truck fires and creating a huge mess on residential streets.

The fires occurred in 2021 near the offices of iDiskk LLC in Campbell, California, according to the Mercury News:

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The fires took place on Sept. 22, Oct. 6 and Oct. 13, according to the release, after garbage trucks picked up loads outside the company’s Campbell address. During the Oct. 13 fire, the truck dumped its load in the middle of a street to avoid damage to the vehicle; the lift arms knocked over utility lines in the process, according to the release.

“This case demonstrates the risks of throwing lithium-ion batteries away in the regular trash or recycling,” Deputy District Attorney Christopher Judge said. “These fires are incredibly dangerous to the safety of the garbage truck drivers and first responders who must then act quickly to deal with the fire.”