From: ILPI Support <info**At_Symbol_Here**ILPI.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] EPA on lithium batteries
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2021 17:49:21 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: CCF52845-E077-46FD-9750-C51DC72578E0**At_Symbol_Here**ilpi.com
In-Reply-To <31E6A075-12A2-40DB-B24D-597805B9CEFF**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>


I'll chime in here because a lot of folks have the misconception that lithium ion batteries require a Class D extinguisher. They do NOT.

We sell a lot of Ansul Lith-X which is a specialty graphite-based class D extinguishing powder - so much so that we're the #1 hit at Google, above even the manufacturer, so we get this question a lot.  Therefore, we put the following technical note right on the product web page at https://www.safetyemporium.com/09451 to address the issue:

Technical note: Rechargeable lithium ion batteries do not pose a Class D fire threat but typically involve a flammable electrolyte material or casing and should be protected by an appropriate Class ABC or BC dry chemical extinguisher.  ABC would be your first choice unless you had other considerations - for example, aircraft or electronic equipment would dictate a Class BC dry chemical or clean agent such as CleanGuard, Halotron, carbon dioxide or water. For a technical report that discusses suppression of lithium ion battery fires see the suppression discussion of Lithium Ion Batteries Hazard and Use Assessment at the NFPA. Lithium metal batteries (which are single use) do pose a Class D threat.

In case that link is not working, the URL is https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Data-research-and-tools/Hazardous-Materials/Lithium-ion-batteries-hazard-and-use-assessment It is a three part series chock full of all sorts of other useful information about lithium ion batteries including fire tests of bulk stored batteries and more.

And if anyone's wondering about why an ABC is not something you want to use on an aircraft or electronics see the blue box titled "When to use (or not use) Dry Chemical Extinguishers" on my extinguisher page at http://ilpi.com/safety/extinguishers.html#Picking  That blue box was inspired after someone sent me a report about an F-14 airframe that had to be scrapped after an ABC extinguisher was used on it.  Amerex has this as a tech tip, BTW: https://amerex-fire.com/upl/downloads/tech-tips/use-of-abc-dry-chemical-in-the-vicinity-of-aircraft-0141461c.pdf 

Stay safe!

Rob Toreki


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On Apr 15, 2021, at 5:17 PM, CHAS membership <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG> wrote:



April 15 , 2021
New Lithium Battery Webinar Series
 
The Northeast Waste Management Officials Association (NEWMOA) & the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) are hosting a free webinar series about Recycling & Fire Prevention at Waste Hauler, Storage, & Processing Facilities. To find out more information and register for these webinars click the links below:

  • May 18, 2021 1:00 - 2:30 PM EST - Overview of Lithium Batteries, Their Uses, & Recycling - Find out more and register here 
  • May 25, 2021 1:00 - 2:30 PM EST - Examples of Actions by Waste Haulers & Storage & Processing Facilities to Reduce the Risk of Fires Associated with Lithium Batteries - Find out more and register here
EPA Encourages Proper Disposal of Household and Lithium-Ion Batteries
 
On March 25, 2021, EPA published three new webpages on end-of-life management of lithium-ion and other batteries.

The webpages cover household batteries of all types and a lithium-ion battery specific page, as well as frequent questions on lithium-ion batteries. These webpages contain information on the safe disposal and recycling of lithium-ion batteries for consumers, businesses, workers, and transporters, and management recommendations for single use, rechargeable, and automotive batteries that may be found in the home. 

The battery webpages were created in response to the growing number of fires reported in the waste management process. One reason why fires start in garbage trucks and recycling facilities is because consumers mistakenly place their batteries in their home recycling bins and trash cans for disposal. The webpages emphasize that lithium-ion and most other household batteries do not belong in curbside trash or recycling, and instead should be sent to specialty recyclers or household hazardous waste facilities.
Strategies for Building and Implementing Sustainable Tribal Waste Management Programs

Finding a cost-effective and efficient way to build and implement a waste management program can be difficult, especially in rural areas. Each tribe is unique, with its own history, culture, financial situation, and geographic location. A waste management program should be tailored to address the specific needs and circumstances of each community. Effective waste management includes appropriate collection, transport and waste diversion and disposal facilities. Administrative, regulatory and community outreach program elements also contribute to effective waste management.

In February, EPA released this fact sheet which can assist tribal communities with overcoming barriers in developing and implementing a sustainable waste management program. In addition, this factsheet highlights information about technical assistance solutions that help tribes with protecting the environment and human health of their community. 
To subscribe to this newsletter, please follow the link below:
The purpose of this listserv is to provide stakeholders with updates about the federal solid and hazardous waste programs. This listserv is used to send out announcements about rulemakings, upcoming webinars, guidance documents, open comment periods and other related communications.
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