LGIS has seen an increase in enquiries over the management of micro mobility options, including use and charging of e-scooter and bikes. Some members have already started using them and others are considering the potential benefits.

However, these micro mobility options are powered by lithium-ion batteries which pose a serious safety risk for people and property alike if not stored, maintained, and recycled/disposed properly.

Early this year, there was a fatal house fire in March 2024, which appeared to be the first recorded casualty from a lithium-ion battery-related blaze.

In 2023, the London Fire Brigade attended an e-bike fire incident every two days (on average). In the past four years, the UK has seen more than 300% increase in e-mobility device fires, growing from 77 in 2020 to 338 in 2023 (UK Department of Transport).

The trend in WA is echoing the UK experience with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) reporting a near doubling of lithium-ion battery fires in 2023.

A new advisory note from Department of Transport (UK) provides valuable guidance on how members can better manage the risk to their premises. It provides recommendations on premises management, safe charging, and storage. This advice is in addition to the guide previously provided to members on the risks of EV charging stations and location selection.

In WA, there is limited local guidance, which is likely driven by the relatively less mature micro mobility culture.

Members should educate their staff, visitors, and users of their premises about the risks involved to promote responsible use.   

Department of Transport (UK) recommendations

In February 2024, the UK government published helpful guidance for commercial premises handling e-scooters and e-bikes. It is recommended that all premises managers refer to the London Fire Brigade's Fire Safety Guidance Note GN103: charging and storage for electric powered personal vehicles.   

You can take a read of the consolidated checklist on safe charging and storage, and premises management HERE.

Recycle and disposal  

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) estimates that Australian households will have an average 33 items with lithium-ion batteries by 2026. Batteries disposed of in kerbside bins can cause fires in collection trucks, at recycling facilities or in landfill. According to the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR), lithium-ion batteries cause at least three fires in recycling streams every day, but the real number of blazes is suspected to be much higher.

There has been a concerted effort by local government waste managers, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) and Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) to drive education around battery fires in domestic waste disposal.   

LGIS claims are full of examples of damage caused to waste trucks and near-misses arising from emergency load disposal, known in the industry as 'hot loads'. LGIS continues to recommend local governments to consider fitting automatic fire suppression in vehicles and build emergency response guides for all operators.

In 2022, a recycling facility in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) was destroyed with an estimated $20M worth of damage, which may not include the additional costs of alternative processing or landfill gate fees. However, this focus needs to extend to the physical premises with Members developing a set standard of handling, including appropriate collection stations.

Through the national Battery Product Stewardship Scheme (B-cycle) there are now increased numbers of option for the community to recycling batteries, such as at Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Bunnings and OfficeWorks. These collection points, as well as the local government collection sites, are set up to minimise risk in the collection.

The coming electronic waste (e-waste) landfill ban may increase public awareness that they should not be disposing of batteries in kerbside bins. If any local governments are considering setting up collections for e-waste or batteries, consider the storage and placement of these materials within their landfill/transfer station and review their DWER license to ensure these materials are included.      Similar to the placement of highly flammable items within these settings, members need to consider the real risk of spontaneous combustion and spread of fire.

A fire caused by even a small lithium-ion battery can engulf an entire room in two to three minutes. Fires linked to lithium-ion batteries tend to escalate quickly and are very difficult to extinguish, which means there is a high risk of property damage or injuries – consider this risk in a landfill setting with combustibles and nearby vegetation.

To know more about the risk mitigation strategies associated with charging stations, please get in touch with your account manager.