West Central Iowa Solid Waste is offering new ways for area residents to dispose of potentially hazardous batteries after the landfill in Carroll experienced another large fire last weekend. Fires in the landfill are becoming more and more frequent, and Director, Mary Wittry, says the increase can be attributed to modern lithium batteries.
Two of the three most recent fires at the landfill were caused by improper battery disposal. Landfill staff were unable to determine the cause of the third, but Wittry suspects it was also started by a damaged lithium battery. These fires are dangerous on their own but can pose potential health risks to the community when certain materials are caught in the blaze, such as the one last weekend.
Wittry adds the landfill has monitoring wells and equipment buried in it, which can then be damaged by unexpected fires. Most batteries, with the exception of alkaline batteries, cannot be disposed of with regular recyclables or trash. Generally, customers have to bring them in to the West Central Solid Waste office or to one of their hazardous waste disposal events. Wittry says they are implementing a new disposal option to reduce the number of dangerous batteries making their way into the landfill.
A list of the battery disposal sites can be found below or at www.westcentralsolidwaste.com. According to Wittry, landfill fires were almost unheard of 20 or 30 years ago, but they have become so common that she and her staff undergo regular training to learn how to detect a hidden fire and extinguish it safely. Wittry encourages anybody with questions about what is considered hazardous waste to contact their office at 712-792-5001.
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- Carroll Apothecary
- Lincoln Highway Pharmacy
- The Clinic Pharmacy at St. Anthony Regional Hospital
- Adaptive Audiology
- Audiological Services of Iowa
- Carroll City Hall
- Carroll County Courthouse: Treasurer’s and Assessor’s Offices
- Pudenz Family Chiropractic
- Carroll Public Library
- Iowa Savings Bank
- Availa Bank
- Commercial Savings Bank
