How to properly dispose of rechargeable batteries in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS — Officials are offering a reminder about why you should never throw away rechargeable batteries. 

In Clay County, two fires started at the county's waste facility in the past month. 

The batteries are part of an uptick in fires across the state and country. Here's more on how and why you should dispose of them properly.

They're in your toothbrush, your laptop and even your cellphone. 

"People are throwing their, anything rechargeable or nickel cadmium or lithium ion batteries, and they're putting them in the garbage. And they should be recycled," Clay County Solid Waste Director Corey Bang said.

READ MORE: Woodbury Fire Dept. says lithium-ion batteries to blame for 5 house fires in past 4 months

Bang said it's a growing problem in the industry. 

"What happens when they get in the garbage is we crush them with our heavy equipment. And once air gets to that battery, it essentially explodes," he said.

In his facility alone, there have been two fires in the last month. 

"We were lucky, we got both of them put out within a matter of just seconds," Bang said. 

But others were not so lucky. 

"Around the state, there's been several fires that have hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damages," Bang said.

In Becker County, a suspected battery fire caused nearly $800,000 in damage to their facility. 

Hennepin County Senior Environmentalist Ryan Gastecki said improper battery disposal is a top issue his team is working to address. 

"What we're trying to do is to reduce the toxicity in the waste stream," he said. "And then we also want to get and make sure these are recycled, because we're pulling the raw materials out of the batteries so we can make new ones in the future too."

READ MORE: Crews contain fire at battery recycling plant in Eagan

"Bring them all to us, we will take care of it from there," Gastecki added.

It's a simple ask, but there are some things to keep in mind.

First, take the batteries out of your device. Seal them in a Ziploc bag or tape up the contact ends with clear tape. Then, bring them to your local recycling center. 

Experts say that last step is the most important.

"We just built a $23 million facility. If the thing burns down, it's only a year old. So it could be catastrophic to a county, or to any business or home," Bang said.

Hennepin County has two drop off recycling and hazardous waste facilities. 

You can drop off items Tuesday through Saturday.