Lithium batteries, vapes blamed for surge in Dutch waste truck fires
Fires are breaking out almost every week in garbage trucks across the Netherlands because hazardous items, mainly lithium batteries, are discarded in household trash, according to new research from the RTL. Ralph Peters of the Nederlandse Vereniging voor Afval- en Reinigingsdiensten (Dutch Association for Waste and Cleaning Services) said, “We see the number of fires in garbage trucks and at transfer stations increasing. That happens weekly. The biggest problem is the safety of our people.”
An RTL Nieuwspanel poll conducted between May 22 and May 25 among more than 21,000 people showed that 14 percent of respondents throw batteries in the trash. Many people also discard small electronic devices containing batteries, such as electronic greeting cards and toys, without recognizing them as chemical waste. A quarter of participants did not know that lithium-ion batteries could leak, short-circuit, or ignite if compressed. Peters explained, “You can’t imagine it: they are in bicycle lights, toys, textiles, diapers, and postcards.”
Disposable vapes were identified as a major hazard. Peters said, “Those things are literally everywhere in the trash. They are small, cheap, and massively used and discarded. But when they break and are crushed in a garbage truck, they can catch fire.”
Garbage trucks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, but a single fire can cause enormous damage and expense. “A garbage truck costs about a quarter of a million euros. If such a vehicle catches fire, the damage and costs are enormous. And you don’t want to experience that as a driver,” Peters told RTL.
Although most Dutch residents say they want to separate waste correctly, confusion is reportedly widespread. Two-thirds of respondents reported that there are too many rules to remember. Many mistakenly believe broken glass belongs in bottle recycling, and polystyrene often ends up with plastic waste. About 80 percent suspect that all separated trash is ultimately mixed together, and 45 percent feel their individual efforts make little difference. However, experts stressed that proper sorting does have a significant impact, especially with more than 8 billion kilos of household waste produced annually in the Netherlands.
Peters argued that better public education is important but not sufficient. “We have to stop the massive buying of disposable electrical products. Do you really need a card that plays a song, or can you just write something?”
He added that the rapid turnover of cheap goods from platforms like AliExpress and Temu contributes to the problem. Peters suggested potential solutions including deposit schemes and more convenient collection points. He said, “On many products it already says that they are fire hazardous, for example with a small icon. Apparently, that is not enough.”
