San Jose garbage-truck drivers are seeing a problem no one wants on their route: trash loads suddenly catching fire, likely thanks to lithium-ion batteries tossed in with the regular garbage. In several recent cases, drivers have had to dump burning loads in the street so firefighters can put them out, and city officials say a single damaged battery is enough to trigger a dangerous compaction fire inside a truck.
According to the NBC Bay Area report, the San Jose Fire Department has logged four garbage-truck fires in the past month, with the most recent one happening on Friday. Integrated Waste Management Deputy Director Judy Erlandson explained that once lithium batteries are crushed, they can release sparks, which can ignite materials around them, a risk that only grows when trash is compacted. When a fire starts in a collection truck, drivers often have no choice but to dump the load on the street, so fire crews can safely knock down the flames.
How the city is responding
City and county officials are now pushing a simple message: keep batteries out of your curbside garbage and recycling carts and use proper drop-off programs instead. The Santa Clara County Household Hazardous Waste program accepts lithium-ion batteries by appointment. Residents can call 408-299-7300 or visit the county’s HHW site to schedule a free drop-off. San Jose’s recycling guidance also tells residents to tape battery terminals and keep all batteries out of collection carts to cut the risk of compaction fires; the city posts device-specific disposal tips on San Jose Recycles.
Why lithium batteries ignite in trucks
Lithium-ion cells can go into thermal runaway when punctured or crushed during collection. That process can produce sparks, intense heat and toxic smoke that quickly ignite nearby trash. Federal analysis and waste-industry studies have flagged discarded lithium batteries as a leading cause of fires in collection and recycling operations, and the EPA has documented the rising threat to waste infrastructure. The danger is not limited to San Jose; a garbage-truck fire in Roseville last month was traced to a tossed lithium battery, underscoring how a single damaged cell can put crews and equipment at risk.
What residents can do…