Waste trucks catching fire every few days due to improper disposal

Estonia is experiencing a surge in fires and explosions involving waste trucks, with incidents occurring as frequently as every two days. The primary cause is the improper disposal of hazardous materials, including electronics, batteries, and still-hot barbecue coals, into mixed waste containers.

“

This is a very dangerous and growing phenomenon: people throw the wrong waste into mixed waste containers, which causes fires.

Eesti Keskkonnateenused, a major waste management company, has highlighted the growing danger posed by these incidents. Transport manager Oksana Romanova stated that the company's waste trucks have seen waste ignite or explode repeatedly in recent weeks. "This is a very dangerous and growing phenomenon," Romanova said, emphasizing that incorrect waste disposal leads to fires, causing health problems for drivers and loaders, as well as damage to vehicles and the environment.

Romanova cited a recent incident where a container held both hot barbecue coals and an electronic device with a battery. The battery eventually exploded, triggering a fire. Such incidents have been reported across Estonia, including in Harku municipality, the Pärnamäe area of Tallinn, and Lääne-Nigula municipality, indicating a widespread problem rather than isolated mistakes.

“

Our drivers and loaders have also developed health problems because of this, fortunately, no one has been seriously injured so far. In addition, damage is caused to both trucks and the environment.

The company stresses that items such as batteries, all electronic devices with batteries (including electric toothbrushes, toys, and e-cigarettes), hot ash, barbecue charcoal, paints, varnishes, oils, acids, cleaning chemicals, and oily rags should never be placed in mixed waste bins. Pressurized gas cylinders, used for camping or lighting, are also strictly prohibited.

“

If a pressurized balloon ends up in the waste truck and is damaged during compaction, the consequences can be very serious.

Warmer weather exacerbates the risk by accelerating chemical processes within the waste. The start of the grilling season also increases the likelihood of hot ash and coals ending up in containers. Romanova explained that the compacting process in waste trucks can initiate chemical reactions that do not occur in the bins themselves, leading to rapid ignition. "In most cases, smoke or an explosion is heard precisely when the truck is compacting the waste," she noted.

“

Since waste trucks also compact the waste, it triggers chemical processes that do not occur in the containers. This means that we know very precisely who and where threw the wrong waste, because the reactions happen quickly.