Batteries continue to be a problem at the Allen County Landfill, even as officials work toward a solution.
Landfill crews stopped two potential fires in the past week, Public Works Director Mitch Garner told county commissioners on Tuesday.
Workers saw areas of the landfill smoking and were able to use a metal bucket to extract the garbage. When they examined the trash, they found lithium batteries to be the culprit, Garner said.
Battery disposal has become a serious problem in recent years. Batteries were suspected as a potential cause for three fires at the landfill in the past year.
Over the past few months, Garner, his landfill crews and commissioners have focused their attention on resolving the problem.
Their approach is two-fold: A public education campaign to prevent lithium batteries from being dumped with regular trash, and a special collection point for electronic waste.
Those efforts are still in the early stages.
Garner said he plans to run ads in local newspapers and on the radio.
The county needs a permit from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment before the landfill can establish a collection point for electronic waste such as batteries. Garner said he is waiting for that to be approved but in the meantime, some area residents have already started to separate batteries from regular trash. He prefers to establish a dump site on the ground but is considering a container.
Garner also is reaching out to e-waste recycling companies. Some will provide a container and will pick it up when full.
E-waste generally includes such things as televisions, microwaves, computers, tablets, phones, vaping devices and even toys. Lithium ion batteries typically are found in items that can be recharged.
No large appliances will be allowed in the e-waste collection point, Garner said.
As soon as the state issues a permit and an official collection location is established, Garner plans to advertise that as well.
Paul Zirjacks, a citizen who regularly attends county meetings, suggested the county consider placing smaller battery collection points at various locations, similar to collection points for unused prescription drugs.
