South Bay recycling company fined after improper lithium battery disposals start multiple garbage-truck fires

A recycling company was fined $25,000 for improper disposal of lithium batteries that caused several garbage truck fires, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said in a release.

iDiskk, LLC was deemed responsible for three garbage-truck fires in the fall of 2021, according to the DA’s office. The company disposed of lithium batteries by throwing them away in regular dumpsters. The batteries were then picked up by garbage trucks; when the trucks compacted their loads, the batteries burst, starting the fires.

The fires took place on Sept. 22, Oct. 6 and Oct. 13, according to the release, after garbage trucks picked up loads outside the company’s Campbell address. During the Oct. 13 fire, the truck dumped its load in the middle of a street to avoid damage to the vehicle; the lift arms knocked over utility lines in the process, according to the release.

“This case demonstrates the risks of throwing lithium-ion batteries away in the regular trash or recycling,” Deputy District Attorney Christopher Judge said. “These fires are incredibly dangerous to the safety of the garbage truck drivers and first responders who must then act quickly to deal with the fire.”

The DA’s Office says iDiskk cooperated with the investigation and agreed to “be bound by a permanent injunction never to improperly dispose of hazardous waste again,” as well as pay their civil penalties.