Fire Prevention Week Kicks Off with Education Campaign on Proper Use, Storage, and Disposal of Batteries

(Washington, DC) - Today, the Department of Public Works (DPW) and the DC Fire and EMS Department launched efforts to educate the public on techniques for safely disposing of household batteries to limit the risk of fire. Residents are reminded that District law prohibits single-use and rechargeable household batteries from being discarded in their trash or recycling containers.

The campaign is a key part of the District's Fire Prevention Week, which runs from October 4-10, 2026. Over the past two years, DC Fire and EMS have responded to nearly 50 fires caused by lithium-ion batteries. Recent battery-related incidents occurred at DPW's Fort Totten Transfer Station, in a commercial trash truck, and in several District homes where lithium-ion batteries sparked fires that endangered staff and residents. This year's theme, "Charge into Fire Safety™: Safe Charging Is a Superpower" reminds residents to protect themselves and their communities by familiarizing themselves with and practicing safe disposal techniques.

"Something as small as a battery can have very serious consequences once it enters the waste stream," said DPW Interim Director Chris Rodriguez. "Our employees handle thousands of tons of material, and a battery that is crushed or punctured inside a collection truck or at a transfer station can ignite without warning. We want residents to remember one simple message: keep batteries out of the trash and recycling."

Regular household batteries and lithium-ion batteries - like those found in cell phones, laptops, power tools, toys, e-bikes, e-scooters and numerous other rechargeable devices - can store a significant amount of energy in a relatively small space. If a battery is damaged, punctured, overheated or crushed at a waste facility or inside a sanitation truck, it can enter a process known as "thermal runaway", in which rapidly increasing heat can cause the battery and surrounding materials to ignite.

"Lithium-ion batteries are part of our everyday lives, but they have to be treated with care," said DC Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr. "Residents should use the charger designed for their device, avoid overcharging batteries, keep devices that are being charged away from exits and pay attention to warning signs such as excessive heat, swelling, leaking, unusual odors, popping or hissing. If a battery is smoking or appears to be in immediate danger of catching fire, get away from it and call 911."

Battery Safety Tips:

• Check the battery's voltage. Lithium-based batteries and batteries greater than 9 volts should have their terminals covered with clear, masking or electrical tape or otherwise be individually protected.
• Do not carry loose rechargeable batteries with metal objects such as keys or coins.
• Use chargers designed or approved for specific devices.
• Avoid charging large battery-powered devices in hallways or other places where they could block an exit.
• Stop using a battery that becomes unusually hot, swollen, cracked, leaking, discolored or produces an unusual odor or sound.
• Know the signs. If a battery is smoking, hissing, swelling or showing signs that it may ignite, residents should not attempt to carry it through their home or transport it in a vehicle. Move away from the battery and call 911.
• Utilize District resources. When discarding batteries, District residents are reminded to "tape it, bag it and drop it off" at one of DPW Special Waste Collection Events or the District's Battery Stewardship Program, a free, industry-funded recycling initiative launched in partnership with The Battery Network and the DOEE.

"DPW and our partners are making it easier for residents to dispose of their batteries safely," said Rodriguez. "When residents recycle batteries properly, they are protecting their homes, our sanitation workers, our firefighters and the infrastructure all of us depend on."

For more information on the battery stewardship program, visit batterynetwork.org or visit zerowaste.dc.gov for a schedule of special waste collection drop off events. District residents can also find detailed information about battery disposal and storage by visiting the websites for DPW, Fire & EMS and DOEE and by tuning into a special DPW battery safety podcast on Wednesday, October 7, at 2pm at dcradio.gov.