Lithium Battery Fires Plague NYC Garbage Trucks

Improperly disposed lithium-ion batteries are causing garbage truck fires in New York City, with a Brooklyn truck fire in late May injuring two sanitation workers. NYC saw 800 lithium-ion battery fires resulting in 30 deaths and 400 injuries between 2022 and 2025. The batteries ignite when crushed, causing short circuits that release flammable gases. Disposing of them in trash or recycling is illegal.