Organizations call for coordination on product safety

An op-ed distributed by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Silver Spring, Maryland, that includes the Recycled Materials Association, or ReMA, the Association of Plastic Recyclers, The Recycling Partnership, the US Composting Council, the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association and the U.S. Plastics Pact, calls for manufacturers and policymakers to prioritize safety in designing, producing, labeling, marketing and managing end-of-life consumer products with high fire or explosion risks to protect waste and recycling workers.

The op-ed reads in part, “Ensuring public safety and the long-term viability of waste and resource management infrastructure requires immediate urgent action. Products at risk of ignition or explosion include those containing lithium-ion batteries, compressed gas cylinders, marine and road flares, ammunition, fireworks and similar products. Fires caused by these products have become increasingly common in collection vehicles and at recycling facilities, landfills, transfer stations and other facilities. These items pose a serious safety threat to the waste and resource management industry as well as the public. The increasing risks associated with these materials and products are becoming unsustainable.”

The op-ed notes the proliferation of products that contain lithium-ion batteries in U.S. homes, including laptops, cellphones, tablets, wireless headphones, smartwatches, e-readers, portable speakers, vaping devices, portable power banks, power tools, gaming controllers, thermostats, electric toothbrushes and electric scooters, noting that they need special end-of-life collection and management. Marine and road flares, compressed gas cylinders and other items that have explosive characteristics also require special end-of-life management, but consumers have limited options to ensure proper disposal.

“While these products have become ubiquitous in everyday life, they have not been accompanied by plans for clear labeling, consumer education on safe handling and management, nor a well-planned strategy for product end of life (EOL),” the op-ed reads. “When these products improperly find their way into household trash and recycling bins, they frequently become damaged and start fires and explosions in collection vehicles, transfer stations, materials recovery facilities (MRFs), landfills and waste-to-energy facilities.”

The organizations say threats to waste and resource management industry workers will increase as more potentially dangerous products are marketed without the necessary communication and planning regarding EOL. “Policymakers and manufacturers must take urgent action to develop plans for product EOL. Employees in the vital recycling and waste industries are entitled to a safe working environment.”

Operators in the public and private sector are concerned about rising insurance costs and the risk of becoming uninsurable because of fire and safety risks, they add. “Costly property damage to recycling and waste facilities and more-costly and less-available insurance due to rising fire risks threaten to make it economically infeasible for continued recycling and waste operations. Operations that have sustained damage are often forced to close for extended periods of time, or close permanently, affecting essential local recycling and waste services on which the public depends, including those employed in these industries. As stewards of public health and the environment, we take these issues very seriously. A significant consequence is the limited availability of recycled materials needed by manufacturers – raising significant concerns at a time where we are looking to bolster domestic manufacturing,” the op-ed reads.

The organizations encourage brands and policymakers to take a number of steps designed to address these risks:

• Design products with recyclability and with batteries that can be safely removed from products for proper EOL management.
• Label products clearly with their hazards, including whether they contain a battery or are explosive.
• Provide clear and proper disposal or recycling instructions to prevent improper disposal in household waste or commingled recycling and ensure that a convenient and free EOL management option is available.
• Establish and sustain collection, recycling and/or disposal systems funding to manage these hazardous products properly.
• Cease adding new products to the market that pose a danger of fire or explosion if they do not have an effective and sustainable EOL plan that has been developed in coordination with those handling such products at EOL.

“We encourage all stakeholders to take this issue very seriously and consider taking steps to safely handle potentially dangerous products,” the op-ed reads. “We have developed many resources on education and outreach about proper battery recycling and recognize the need for an international, coordinated campaign on safe and effective recycling and disposal.”

The organizations invite manufacturers and policymakers to join them in conversations about how to promptly resolve these challenges. “We appreciate the demand for these products, however, they must also be designed and manufactured for safe handling by our industry, and the EOL systems must have adequate funding and be convenient for public use,” they write.

“We must do better. Together, we can solve this. Join us to be part of the solution," the op-ed concludes.

View the op-ed in its entirety here.