Hand grenades discovered in the garbage: disposal of dangerous waste a problem!

Hand grenades discovered in the garbage: disposal of dangerous waste a problem!

On January 9, 2025, a hand grenade was discovered at the scrap collection of the “Green Ton” in Breitenau in Breitenau in Breitenau. An excavator driver took this dangerous find in the waste pile and immediately alerted the police and the demaking. During the investigation, it turned out that it was a exercise grenade that was not an immediate danger, but it was safely removed and destroyed by the demaking. In this context, the managing director of the Reinhaltverband, Gerd Hettlinger, expressed his concern about the responsible disposal of dangerous objects and emphasized that a similar incident took place with a hand grenade in the past.

Another, urgent problem is the improper disposal of old lithium-ion batteries, such as those used in e-scooters and electric bicycles. These batteries can easily catch fire and pose a significant risk to the waste disposal employees. Hettlinger appeals to the population to always bring such batteries to the recycling point.

Fire risk from lithium-ion batteries

The problem of improperly disposed lithium-ion batteries is not limited to Breitenau. In Hesse, there are regular fires in garbage trucks or sorting halls, which are triggered by incorrect disposal of these batteries. An incident in summer, in which a burning bicycle battery generated a flame in the garbage trolley, illustrates the dangers. The waste disposal Stephan Pauluth and Ludwig Swidersky had to alert the fire brigade to extinguish the burning battery.

The situation is alarming: The Federal Association of Disposal Economy (BDE) reports about 30 fires a day, which are due to incorrectly disposed lithium-ion batteries. These fires cause annual million damage. The BDE therefore calls for a pledge system for batteries and supports a recently decided ban on disposable e-cigarettes with lithium-ion batteries.

need for action and appeals for safe disposal

The spokesman for the Wiesbaden waste disposal company, Frank Fischer, expects the fires to increase the fires at the end of their lifespan due to the increasing number of e-bike batteries. The population is urgently asked to correctly dispose of batteries. Dealers are legally obliged to accept old batteries. The situation in Frankfurt is similar: Disposal and Service GmbH there reports every day of fires caused by improper disposal.

The frequency of fires by lithium-ion batteries is reinforced by the steadily increasing use of this technology. Electrical devices operated by accumulators are now omnipresent. The increase in the use of batteries makes a functioning withdrawal and exploitation solution more urgent than ever. While batteries are used in devices such as e-cars, e-bikes, smartphones and notebooks, correct disposal often remains an unsolved problem.

Overall, this incident in Breitenau and the recurring fires in Hesse illustrates the urgency to educate the population about the risks and the need for proper disposal of dangerous materials such as hand grenades and lithium-ion batteries.

Krone reports that the grenade was safely removed. In addition, Hessenchau The current challenges in the battery disposal. Finally, remondis to the need for return systems for lithium-ion