Beware battery waste 

Residents are being warned to safely dispose of batteries to help avoid the danger of fires igniting in homes and waste facilities. 

It follows a growth in incidents reported by waste processing operators. 

The advice from Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre, which is owned by Northern Beaches Council and Mosman Council, comes as large numbers of consumers source new items and dispose of old ones during the summer holiday season. 

Batteries, or items that contain batteries such as vacuum cleaners, toys, scooters and power tools, should not be placed in garbage bins or kerbside collections, as fires can start at the site or in waste collection trucks. 

Batteries should be disposed of at designated drop-off areas. For Mosman residents, these include the Mosman Civic Centre, Kimbriki, and the Community Recycling Centre at Artarmon, as well as selected retailers such as Aldi and IGA.