Chilliwack – In a Facebook post on August 5 from Valley Waste & Recycling Inc.:
An Important Safety Message: On Tuesday August 5, Valley Waste & Recycling Inc. had to close their transfer station due to a blaze that ignited in under 7 minutes — caused by lithium batteries that were thrown into regular garbage.
This is the second fire in just two months, and while they’re incredibly grateful that no one was hurt, it’s a serious reminder of how dangerous improper battery disposal can be.
Lithium batteries can ignite or explode when crushed, putting our team, equipment, and community at risk.
Please help them and others prevent future incidents: never throw batteries in the garbage or recycling bin.
Instead, bring them to a proper battery recycling drop-off — available at most recycling depots and electronics stores.
A huge thank you to the Chilliwack Fire Department for their quick and professional response.
Please note: their transfer station will remain closed for the rest of Tuesday as they assess damage and ensure it’s safe to reopen.
From Chilliwack Fire:
On August 5th at approximately 1:20pm, the Chilliwack Fire Department was dispatched to a
report of a fire at a recycling facility in the 8100 Block of Aitken Rd. Approximately 20
Firefighters from Halls 1 and 4 responded to the scene and discovered a fire in a large pile of
general refuse at the recycling facility.
Crews quickly established a water supply and worked with facility staff to contain and extinguish
the fire. This joint effort greatly contributed to the successful protection of nearby buildings,
limiting the fire spread to the refuse material.
There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported at this fire, and the fire is under
investigation by Chilliwack Fire Department officials.
The Chilliwack Fire Department would like to remind the public to never dispose of lithium-ion
batteries in the garbage or curbside recycling bins. When improperly handled or damaged,
lithium ion batteries pose a serious fire risk due to thermal runaway- a chemical reaction that
may lead to fires or explosions.
For safe disposal options, please visit the City of Chilliwack’s Waste Wizard at
www.chilliwack.com or the Recycling Council of BC’s “Recyclepedia” at
https://rcbc.ca/recyclepedia
