A waste facility blaze has prompted authorities to remind residents to safely dispose of used batteries.
Noosa Council waste coordinator Peita Otterbach said investigations into the fire, which closed the Doonan Resource Recovery Centre all day on Wednesday, suggested the incident likely originated from a battery in an item discarded in the steel stockpile area.
“This the second blaze we’ve had at one of our waste facilities recently, believed to be ignited by an incorrectly disposed battery,” she said.
“There are signs in place at the Resource Recovery Centre clearly explaining that batteries must be dropped off at the transfer station, not dumped elsewhere on site, such as the steel stockpile, where yesterday’s fire occurred.
“It is free to dispose of batteries and if they’re embedded in an item such as an old e-bike or e-scooter, then simply take the whole item to the transfer station attendant for disposal. Do not dump it with the battery still in place.
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“Discarded batteries have significant potential to cause harm if they’re not disposed of correctly.
“Lithium-ion batteries in particular have been linked to house and garage fires and the potential for fire increases once they enter the waste stream.”
The Queensland Fire Department reports that more than 200 battery‑sparked fires occurred in Queensland from January to November 2025.
Most battery‑related fires attended by QFD involved lithium‑ion batteries found in everyday items, including e‑bikes, e‑scooters, vapes, cordless tools, household electronics, and improperly disposed batteries in waste streams.
“Incorrectly disposed batteries are now one of the leading causes of fires in kerbside waste collection trucks across Queensland, and Noosa is no exception,” Ms Otterbach said.
“This risk is increasingly affecting waste facilities: most recently yesterday’s fire which forced the closure of our major Doonan Resource Recovery Centre, which was incredibly disruptive for our community.”
Ms Otterbach said it is up to the consumer to responsibly dispose of the waste they generate, including batteries.
“People must be mindful that they have an obligation to dispose of their own rubbish responsibly,” she said.
“That can be done very easily by sorting batteries from other material they’re taking to our waste and recycling facilities and checking with the transfer station attendant where to put them.”
In addition to free battery disposal at the council’s waste and recycling facilities, residents can find other free battery drop-off points across Noosa using the Recycle Mate app.
For more on safe waste disposal and advice on what can and can’t be recycled, visit Waste and Recycling.
