During the early morning of Aug. 20, 2026, a fire broke out at an unusual site in New Hanover County -- the edge of a slope that covered buried trash at the landfill.
A lithium-ion battery had been discarded with residential waste and probably smoldered for hours before the flames became visible from U.S. 421 North in the early morning hours, well after workers had gone home for the day.
While the location might have raised some eyebrows, the cause wasn't something new to landfill officials and responding emergency crews.
"They happen often enough that everyone on our staff acts reflectively dealing with those types of fires," said Joe Suleyman, the county's recycling and solid waste director.
As the use of rechargeable household items like lawn
equipment, electronic household goods and electric scooters and bicycles has surged in recent years, so have fires sparked by their lithium batteries.
Suleyman estimates the landfill deals with a handful of battery-sparked fires a year. Haulers around the region also have reported battery-fueled blazes starting in their garbage trucks, with state officials estimating one in eight loads of garbage contains at least one lithium battery.
"While lithium-ion batteries are a great power source, there are dangers associated with them," said Wilmington Fire Chief Steve Mason. "This is especially true when they are damaged or improperly used, charged, or stored. At the Wilmington Fire Department, we have seen a rise in the number of lithium-ion battery-related fires we respond to. We urge residents to be mindful of how these batteries are charged and disposed of."
Here's why lithium batteries pose such a fire hazard, and proper ways of disposing of them after they have outlived their usefulness.
Packing a powerful punch
Many of the daily items we use today are now powered by lithium batteries. They include e-bikes, lawn equipment, cell phones, laptops and many other small and mobile consumer goods. The batteries are the power source of choice for many small electronics and motors because they can pack a big charge in a small package. They're also rechargeable, reducing waste and allowing them to be easily portable.
But if charged with the wrong charger or if the lithium battery is from an uncertified or shoddy manufacturer, fires can occur.
That's led to some apartment complex owners banning the charging of e-bikes in buildings. Local officials also have stepped up outreach efforts to educate e-bike owners, especially young people and college students, on the right ways to charge and store their bikes.
Why do they catch fire?
According to the National Fire Protection Association, the heat of the battery has a lot to do with the devices sparking fires.
When the energy produced by a lithium battery is released in an uncontrolled manner or the battery is physically damaged, it can fry battery components or nearby material, sparking a fire and even sometimes releasing toxic gasses.
Primary causes of lithium battery fires include damage to the battery itself, overcharging, exposure to extreme temperatures, and product defects, according to the association.
The National Waste Recycling Association reported there were 448 publicly reported fire incidents involving lithium batteries at waste and recycling facilities across the U.S. and Canada in 2025, although officials believe the number is much higher since many incidents aren't reported.
How can you prevent a fire?
According to the fire association:
- Only purchase batteries from a reputable manufacturer and ones that have been tested by a nationally recognized laboratory and labeled accordingly.
- Don't overcharge a lithium battery. When full, unplug it, and don't leave it to charge overnight. Also don't charge in direct sunlight, and try to charge large items like e-bikes, scooters and electric vehicles outside and away from structures.
- If a battery is physically damaged, produces excessive heat, or begins to "swell," stop using it and get a new one.
- Only allow qualified personnel to attempt repairs to a lithium battery.
Where can I safely dispose of old/broken lithium batteries?
Suleyman said officials have tried to make it as easy as possible for folks to safely dispose of their old or broken lithium batteries.
That includes drop-off sites at all New Hanover County recycling centers, at the landfill, on the mobile HazWagon that circulates throughout the county at different sites during the week, and through partner agencies like the county library system, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Cape Fear Community College, and the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher.
"You don't have to go too far to bring it to us," Suleyman said.
Brunswick and Pender counties also accept lithium batteries at no charge to residents, and several retailers, including Lowes and The Home Depot, also have collection boxes. A list of collection partners can be found on the lithium-ion battery safety and drop-off webpage operated by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.
The batteries are then sorted and separated, with damaged lithium batteries put into one fireproof metal container and "good" batteries placed in another. The batteries are then shipped off to a specialized recycler, where the lithium, rare-Earth minerals and other precious metals are removed and sold for new products.
"The demand for those materials has really skyrocketed in recent years as the number of products with lithium batteries has grown tremendously," Suleyman said.
According to International Energy Agency’s Critical Minerals Market Review, the U.S. manufactures less than 1% of essential battery materials and imports a majority of critical minerals, making supply chains vulnerable to geopolitical and trade disruptions.
In an interesting aside, North Carolina is in the heart of the country's "battery belt," with 80% of the nation's reserves located in the mountains of North Carolina, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Thus reusing lithium means less mining, and all the environmental headaches that can come with that, in the Tar Heel State.
And there are a lot of batteries that are recycled. Suleyman said last year New Hanover recycled 68,700 pounds, or more than 34 tons, of batteries. Even in those quantities, the operation doesn't make money for the county.
"But it's the right thing to do, for the environment and from a safety point of view," Suleyman said. "We don't want these batteries potentially causing problems when we have another option."
Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@usatodayco.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on X/Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from Journalism Funding Partners. The USA TODAY Network maintains full editorial control of the work.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New Hanover landfill fire focuses fresh scrutiny on lithium batteries
