Recycling truck dumps smoldering load on Summit Avenue. A lithium battery was likely to blame.

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When a Eureka Recycling trump dumped a smoking load into the frontage road of Summit Avenue near Macalester College around midday Tuesday, there was no ill will intended. It was the quickest way to put out a fire, likely caused by an improperly disposed of lithium battery.

“This is what we call a hot load in our industry,” said Katie Drews, co-president and chief executive officer of Eureka Recycling. “Fortunately, and unfortunately, we’re a little used to having to deal with fires in this industry. Our driver was able to act really quickly. No one was harmed. There’s some damage to the truck.”

Yesterday a recycling truck dumped its load on the 1600 block of Summit Ave, after a fire was discovered.  Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. Improper disposal of batteries, smoking materials, and chemicals are the most common causes of such fires. @stpaulpublicw pic.twitter.com/H7PDt283WD

— Saint Paul Fire Dept (@StPaulFireDept) April 3, 2024

Lithium batteries have become commonplace in consumer products, from cellphones to power tools and even light-up greeting cards, but they should never be tossed in with the recycling.

That’s because they can catch fire when compacted, posing special dangers in recycling facilities, which are chock-full of paper and other flammables.

“Facilities like ours have a really hard time insuring,” Drews said. “The costs are astronomical, and those costs are burdened on the residents. This is why costs have gone up nationwide — to cover the insurance.”

On Wednesday, the St. Paul Fire Department circulated pictures of the smoldering recyclables on social media, and the sizable heap of smoking cardboard and other material made for quite a sight.

“Yesterday a recycling truck dumped its load on the 1600 block of Summit Ave after a fire was discovered,” reads the message from the fire department on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. Improper disposal of batteries, smoking materials and chemicals are the most common causes of such fires.”

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