Goodyear Launches First-of-its-Kind Trash Truck Fire Detection System

In response to the nationwide rise in trash truck fires, the city of Goodyear has launched a pilot program aimed at protecting drivers, first responders, and the public from these increasingly common and dangerous incidents. These fires are primarily caused by lithium-ion and rechargeable batteries that have been improperly disposed of in household trash.

To address this growing issue, Goodyear has partnered with Seek Thermal to develop and install a new cutting-edge thermal camera system on the city's solid waste trucks. The system is designed to detect overheating inside the truck's hopper, the rear section where garbage is dumped and compacted, for temperatures reaching 200 degrees Fahrenheit. When this happens, the system automatically triggers an in-cab alarm alerting the driver to potential danger. This warning gives drivers the ability to respond immediately, potentially preventing fires and minimizing harm.

"Anything that has a battery or is rechargeable is a potential fire source for our trash trucks," said Goodyear Solid Waste Superintendent Adam Kurtz. "Lithium-ion batteries can burn very quick, and that's the danger. Once they start it can quickly become a runaway fire."

Goodyear is the first city in the nation to be piloting a program using this technology for the purpose of identifying fires in trash trucks and serves as a great example of cross departmental collaboration within the city of Goodyear. The city's Solid Waste, Fire, and Fleet departments worked together to identify the problem, explore innovative solutions, and implement a system that directly enhances public and employee safety.

"Developing and implementing this system has been a lot of problem solving and a lot of innovative thinking," said Goodyear Fleet Management Superintendent Derek Hoopman. "We had to figure out how to do something that no one globally has ever done before."

In addition to this new system, the city continues to educate and encourage residents to properly dispose of lithium-ion and rechargeable batteries by taking them to a designated recycling center or hazardous waste drop off location. For more information on where residents in Goodyear can dispose of lithium-ion and rechargeable batteries, go to goodyearaz.gov/hhw.