Battery Fires in the Waste Industry: Understanding Battery Fire Risks

Battery fires are a growing waste-system risk. A cross-sector forum examining causes, controls and prevention across the battery

Battery Fires in the Waste Industry: Understanding Battery Fire Risks

Battery fires are an increasing safety risk across the waste system - from household and commercial disposal through to transport, sorting, processing and disposal.

Battery Fires in the Waste Industry is a cross-sector forum bringing together waste and resource recovery operators, transport providers, regulators, emergency services, government and stewardship representatives to examine where and why battery fires occur, and what practical steps can reduce risk across the full lifecycle of a battery.

This is a safety-focused event designed to support shared learning, informed discussion and proactive risk management.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Morning Program

The morning sessions will provide technical, operational and policy context, including:

• The science and real-world behaviour of lithium-ion battery fires
• Battery stewardship and system design considerations
• Operational safety, infrastructure and emergency response insights
• Panel discussion examining critical failure points across the waste chain

Afternoon Workshops

The afternoon will feature facilitated breakout workshops focused on:

• mapping battery fire risk across the lifecycle
• identifying where controls fail or are unclear
• highlighting practical, implementable prevention opportunities

Workshop outputs will inform future industry-led work and support improved risk management practices.

This event is hosted by Calleja Group and supported by VWMA - WRAPA - WCRA