Waste industry on ‘borrowed time’ before a truck driver is seriously injured or killed

A spate of garbage truck fires in January has triggered a chilling warning from an industry leader who says it’s only a matter of time before a driver is killed.

FOURTEEN garbage trucks caught fire last month in Sydney, prompting a waste industry leader to warn that his sector is on borrowed time before a driver is killed.

Brett Lemin, executive director of Waste Contractors & Recyclers Association (WACRA) NSW, has told The Daily Telegraph one $500,000 vehicle was left “unsalvageable” after a blaze while three others had to be removed from service for repairs.

While final confirmation is pending, all January fires were thought to be triggered by the breakdown of lithium ion batteries, found in a range of common household goods as well as on e-bikes and e-scooters.

“We have had catastrophic property events,” Mr Lemin said. “A Canberra facility burnt down in 2022 due to batteries and the tender to rebuild has only just been awarded. It will be another couple of years before it’s operating again.

Fire crews attend a dramatic garbage truck fire on the M7 Motorway at Horsley Park in January.

“There was a major fire at a facility in Cairns a month ago, and the suspected cause again was a battery. These are multi-million dollar facilities gone.

“But the incidence of truck fires is on an upward trend and is now a real concern. We’re on borrowed time in terms of a fatality or serious injury.

“I’ve heard of drivers being off on post-traumatic stress disorder due to fires. Lives are at risk.”

Mr Lemin said trucks faced heightened dangers because batteries were damaged during the compacting process on rubbish and recycling collection routes.

“Batteries go into what they call thermal runaway due to thermal abuse, electrical abuse or mechanical abuse,” he added.

“Thermal abuse means it gets really hot or really cold and it weakens the structure of the battery. Electrical abuse is over-charging, leading to excessive heat. That’s what happens in homes.

“Mechanical abuse happens when a battery is picked up and dropped from 6 metres into the back of a truck, it gets compacted and crushed up against other things.

“Throughout the day it continues to be crushed. The gases and the chemical reactions that can occur … it’s pretty insane.

“It’s why you don’t see battery bins going up in flames. They’re not copping that mechanical abuse.”

The contents of a garbage truck caught fire due to a chemical reaction in Mascot earlier this year. Picture: NewsWire / Simon Bullard

Mr Lemin said truck drivers were oblivious to imminent threats because batteries should never be dumped in household or commercial garbage and recycling bins.

“You have these lithium ion batteries in everything from vapes, to old phones, kid’s toys, electrical toothbrushes and of course the rapidly growing number in e-scooters and e-bikes,” he added.

“But making the public aware is only one part of this. The other is to ensure people easy access to places where people can dispose of batteries.”

Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said the number of lithium ion battery fires across the state had doubled in the past two years with a sharp growth in home-related blazes involving e-bike and e-scooter batteries.

“We had a fire the other day where someone was aware a battery was breaking down and they were trying to carry it outside,” he said. “It exploded while they were holding it and they ended up with shrapnel wounds.”

The Commissioner said Fire and Rescue NSW was working closely with NSW Fair Trading, the NSW Environment Protection Authority and Transport for NSW to address battery issues.

NSW Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said: “If you own a lithium-ion battery product, stop risking your life and your family’s lives, make sure you follow the advice on how to charge and use these devices safely.”