You Can Help Prevent Trash Fires

May 1, 2021
  |   7 Comments

Materials improperly placed into the trash can be significant fire hazards, capable of starting fires when:

  • mixed in loads of waste in refuse collection trucks,
  • on rail cars on the way to waste processing and disposal facilities, or
  • while waste is being processed at Montgomery County’s Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station or Resource Recovery Facility.

 

 

 

 

 

PSA with Adam Ortiz, DEP Director, and Scott Goldstein, MCFRS Chief

 

 

Reduce the risk for trash fires. Do not place the following materials in your trash:

When these types of items are mixed or come in contact with other materials in the trash, the combination can be volatile and catch fire.

Properly dispose these items through the Montgomery County’s Household Hazardous Waste Program, or other special collection processes available at the Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station.



7 comments on "You Can Help Prevent Trash Fires"

  1. Mei Hsu says:

    Where can I dispose alkaline batteries safely since few or any places do so?

    1. Cat Lee says:

      Hi, you may dispose of alkaline batteries at the Shady Grove Transfer Station household hazardous waste drop-off or to a participating retailer. Please call ahead if you plan to drop off at a retailer. Let us know if you need anything else!

    2. Barbara C Tilley says:

      where to find participating retailers to recycle batteries

      1. Cat Lee says:

        You can check with your retailers nearest to you to see if they have battery drop-offs.

  2. Pat Duran says:

    Really? We’re expected to take our used batteries to Shady Grove? That’s the plan? What if we only have 4 or 5 batteries, and we don’t have a car?

    1. Cat Lee says:

      Hi, you may dispose of alkaline batteries at the Shady Grove Transfer Station household hazardous waste drop-off or to a participating retailer that is most convenient to you. Please call ahead if you plan to drop off at a retailer. You may also network through your neighborhood listserv or Nextdoor to see if a neighbor may be dropping off batteries and can take yours as well. Let us know if you need anything else!

    2. Tanya DeKona says:

      Hi, Pat,

      I highly suggest waiting until you accumulate a stack.
      2) pool with your neighbors. Everyone else uses tons of batteries.
      Ask if someone is going to the Transfer Station, or who might in
      future so they can be the designated drop off person.
      3) join a time bank and search for a person who does this (like me),
      in exchange for my time. sstimebank.org is one timebank. not sure where you’re located.

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