Townsville City Council is warning residents that throwing away items like batteries, flares and gas bottles in their household bins can cause life-threatening fires and explosions in waste and recycling trucks.
The reminder comes after a waste truck was forced to dump its contents in Aitkenvale last Thursday after items inside caught fire. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services were called to the scene and successfully extinguished the blaze.
Townsville Water and Waste Committee chairperson Russ Cook said there was no excuse for dumping hazardous items in your bin.
“To put it plainly, you endanger Council employees’ lives and lives in the community if you choose to put hazardous items in your waste or recycling bin,” Cr Cook said.
“Items like batteries, gas bottles, camping stoves and canisters, marine flares and chemicals cannot go into either of your household bins as they can ignite and cause fires or explosions in our trucks and damage our environment.
“Every Council employee is a Townsville local who deserves to do their job in a safe workplace every day, so I’m urging everyone to do their part to ensure their waste and recycling bins are free from hazardous materials.”
Cr Cook said there were alternative options for disposing of these dangerous items.
“Most items like gas bottles, car batteries, TVs and computers, paint, oil and scrap metal can be taken to one of our transfer stations and disposed of for free,” he said.
“Council has a comprehensive list of what can and can’t go in each of your bins on its website, so if you’re unsure please visit the What Goes In Your Bins page to double check.
“We need your help to do the right thing so that our city’s waste is disposed of correctly and safely.”
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