Netherlands waste sector launches campaign to curb battery‑fire risk

The Dutch waste industry warns that discarded batteries and accumulators are a major cause of fires at waste‑processing sites. The sector’s association says almost three‑quarters of such incidents are linked to waste that does not belong in the stream, with batteries identified as the primary source. Recent fires at the PreZero facility in Duiven have highlighted the problem, prompting the launch of a public campaign titled “Batterijbrand, je hebt het zelf in de hand.” The campaign urges households to keep batteries out of residual waste and use the 30,000 collection points available across the country. Industry figures note that around 100 million batteries still end up in regular trash each year, increasing the fire hazard and tying up fire‑brigade resources. Measures suggested include stricter sorting, temperature monitoring of waste piles, reduced storage times and better training for staff.

The campaign stresses that proper disposal can prevent long‑lasting incidents that strain emergency services, and it calls on citizens to separate items such as electric toothbrushes and fly‑swatters that contain batteries.