Garbage truck fires cost Plano more than $1.2 million since 2023

There are no reports of garbage truck fire-related injuries in Plano, according to Funk.

Explained

Lithium batteries can catch fire when a battery cell is crushed or punctured by collection equipment, releasing heat and toxic, flammable gas, according to the National Fire Prevention Association.

While lithium batteries are a common cause of fires, other flammable material include barbecue charcoal and pool chemicals, Funk said.

Funk said the fires are “totally preventable,” and advised residents “search for proper disposal stations like Home Depot” to get rid of batteries. Many Home Depot locations work with environmental nonprofit Call 2 Recycle to provide battery recycling stations, according to Home Depot’s website.

Plano also runs a hazardous chemical collection service that can dispose of several different hazardous materials including pool chemicals, which can catch fire when mixed, and car batteries, accessible on the city’s website.