Overview
- Fire risk at materials recovery facilities, like Ann Arbor’s MRF is rising, and lithium-ion batteries are a leading cause. A fire on June 18 injured a worker and damaged equipment after a likely battery ignited on the sorting line. This is part of a national trend, and locally it highlights the urgent need for better public awareness about what cannot go in curbside bins—including batteries, propane tanks, vape pens, and electronics.
- Proper disposal of hazardous materials is critical to preventing future MRF fires and protecting facility workers. In Washtenaw County, residents can bring batteries and other high-risk items to the Drop-Off Station on Ellsworth or the Home Toxics Center on Zeeb Road. These sites are equipped to safely manage materials that pose fire and chemical hazards if processed incorrectly.
- The Ann Arbor MRF uses advanced fire detection tools like the Fire Rover system and complies with the 2021 International Fire Code, but these technologies can’t fully prevent fires caused by improper recycling. Staff continue to receive emergency training, but the safest approach remains keeping dangerous materials out of the system altogether.
- Aluminum can recycling, while not a fire risk, is also underperforming—Michigan’s return rate has dropped below 76% post-pandemic. These cans are among the most valuable materials recovered at the MRF and help offset operational costs. Clean, uncrushed cans placed properly in curbside recycling make a big difference for local recovery economics.
- Washtenaw County relies on the MRF not just to divert waste, but to support a circular economy. When residents recycle correctly—avoiding fire hazards and capturing high-value materials like aluminum—they’re helping maintain a safer, more effective system that benefits both workers and the environment.
Transcription
David Fair: This is 89.1 WEMU, and welcome to this week’s edition of Issues of the Environment. I’m David Fair. And today, we’re going to explore the increasing risk of fires at recycling facilities. Now, you may have heard, back on June 18th, there was a fire at Recycle Ann Arbor’s Materials Recovery Facility. It’s affectionately known as the MRF. It resulted in the injury of one worker and caused damage to equipment. It’s an issue seen with growing frequency all around the country. It just may be that the best fire prevention methods at these facilities comes down to the choices that you and I make. Here to discuss the matter further is Recycle Ann Arbor CEO, Bryan Ukena. And thank you so much for the time today, Bryan! I appreciate it!
Bryan Ukena: Absolutely! Thank you for bringing this very important topic up!…