06/30/2026
Important Safety Notice from Scott Valley Disposal
Lithium-ion batteries, including those found in va**ng devices (e-cigarettes and disposable vapes), must never be placed in your household garbage or recycling carts. These batteries must be taken to an approved battery recycling or hazardous waste collection facility for proper disposal.
Improperly disposed lithium batteries pose an extreme fire hazard. When crushed or damaged during collection or processing, they can ignite, putting our employees, equipment, facilities, and the public at serious risk. Fires caused by lithium batteries have become increasingly common throughout the waste industry.
Scott Valley Disposal takes these incidents very seriously. If a fire or other incident is determined to have been caused by the improper disposal of a lithium battery, an investigation will be conducted. If the source of the battery is identified, the responsible customer may be held liable for any resulting damages, cleanup costs, equipment repairs, and other associated expenses.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping protect our employees, equipment, and community. If you have questions about how or where to properly dispose of lithium batteries or va**ng devices, please contact Scott Valley Disposal for guidance before placing them in your trash.
The photo below shows va**ng devices containing lithium-ion batteries that were improperly disposed of by a single customer today. During collection, these batteries ignited and caused a small fire in the back of one of our garbage trucks.
Fortunately, our driver noticed the fire almost immediately and was able to safely extinguish it before it spread.
