Ipswich, ‘Take Charge’ of batteries to avoid waste disposal disasters
Published on 12 October 2026
Ipswich residents are being urged to dispose of batteries correctly ahead of what is expected to be a hotter-than-average summer, following a significant fire at Riverview Resource Recovery Centre and an increase in waste facility fires across the city.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said with Ipswich entering a high fire-risk period, residents were being urged to dispose of batteries correctly to help prevent avoidable fires.
“With summer approaching and temperatures set to rise, we're reminding residents that batteries don't belong in any household wheelie bin," Mayor Harding said.
“When batteries are crushed or damaged in collection trucks or at our waste facilities, they can short circuit and generate extreme heat. During hotter conditions, that risk becomes even more concerning.
“We have seen a significant increase in fires across our waste facilities this year with a major fire at Riverview Resource Recovery Centre in July that caused approximately $120,000 in damage.
“That's why we're asking residents to take charge of their battery waste and ensure batteries are disposed of safely.”
Mayor Teresa Harding said a refreshed community awareness campaign ‘Take Charge of Your Battery Waste’ encourages Ipswich residents to dispose of batteries and products containing batteries correctly.
“Batteries must not be put into your household wheelie bins, whether it is your red lid general waste bin, yellow lid recycling bin or green lid green waste bin.
“Batteries can be disposed of for free at the e-waste section of Riverview and Rosewood Resource Recovery Centres, or at a sanctioned drop-off point which includes many local retailers. These can be found via B-Cycle and Recycle Mate Waste Search.
“When batteries are thrown in household bins, they can be crushed or damaged in collection trucks or at our facilities. This can cause them to short circuit, creating extreme heat which often leads to ignition. This is why they’re responsible for so many fires.
“There have been 159 fires impacting Ipswich Waste Services since January 2024 – more than one a week – with 143 of them occurring in pits of Riverview and Rosewood Resource Recovery Centres.
“The recent fire in the transfer pit at Riverview Resource Recovery Centre was by far the most significant, serving as an important reminder of the real consequences of incorrect disposal of waste items.
“Fortunately, no one was harmed in the incident, however several Queensland Fire Department units were required to respond. I thank firefighters for promptly containing the fire, which took several hours to put out.
“The incident forced the closure of the transfer pit for five days, leading council to implement alternative arrangements so Riverview Resource Recovery Centre could continue to operate, albeit at a reduced capacity.
“While structural damage was avoided, the fire caused significant damage to the pit’s roof stormwater pipework and water supply header line. The estimated cost of the repairs plus operational costs due to the pit closure is approximately $120,000.”
Mayor Harding said there had been an increase in the number of fires impacting Ipswich City Council waste services.
“We have experienced a significant spike in pit fires in June and July this year, with 10 and 14 respectively, compared to the monthly average since January 2024 of just over four.
“The monthly average of overall fire incidents in 2026 of 8.29 is almost double that of the preceding monthly average since January 2024.
“There have also been 12 fires or hot loads in Ipswich Waste Services garbage collection trucks in this time.
“These incidents pose major safety risks and can result in costly repairs, as we have seen with the fire on 27 July.
“It is important residents dispose of batteries correctly, including household batteries and products with in-built batteries, such as toys, power tools and other rechargeable devices.
“If you have a product with a removable battery, please remove it before visiting one of our Resource Recovery Centres, and follow on-site instructions and signs to ensure a safe experience for all visitors and staff.”