New Dubuque recycling hub aims to douse daily battery fires [Video]

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – An estimated $12 million customer convenience center at the Dubuque Metro Landfill will feature a battery recycling and collection hub to reduce fires caused by improperly disposed lithium-ion batteries.

The Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency (DMASWA) is getting up to $4 million in funds from the U.S. Department of Energy to make battery recycling more accessible. In a press release, the agency noted the facility will also process spent batteries, which will be “shipped to specialized facilities for metal extraction and recycling into new batteries.”

“We typically see a battery-related fire probably at least once a day,” said DMASWA Administrator Kenneth Miller. “Lithium-ion batteries present a huge fire risk, so getting those out of the way stream and properly managed was a huge focus.”

Most battery-induced fires are small, according to Miller, but the facility is vulnerable after-hours. The agency administrator told TV9 about an …