COLUMBUS, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—An explosion in Whitehall, Ohio, last week has prompted a safety warning about the proper disposal of trash and recycling items. On Jan. 29, a residential garbage truck experienced an explosion caused by an illegally discarded oxygen tank.
“This is an extremely dangerous situation that the industry is encountering far too often,” said Bridgett Biggs, corporate safety manager at Rumpke Waste & Recycling. “We continue to see residents and businesses incorrectly place flammable items like propane tanks, oxygen tanks, and lithium-ion batteries in waste and recycling containers, resulting in truck and facility fires.”
Biggs noted that while drivers are trained to identify flammable items during collection, it is often impossible to see everything due to bagged material. She emphasized the importance of residents understanding that not all items can be discarded in curbside trash and recycling containers.
Common household items that should not be discarded curbside include lithium-ion batteries, propane tanks, automotive fluids, smoke detectors, appliances containing freon, pesticides, fertilizers, and pool chemicals. Residents are advised to contact their local solid waste districts for proper disposal options.