No more lithium batteries in Mahoning library collections

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County Solid Waste Policy Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to ban lithium batteries from battery recycling collection bins in the county’s public libraries because of the explosion and fire hazard they pose when they discharge rapidly and overheat.

Other types of household batteries, including alkaline, zinc-carbon, nickel metal hydride, nickel-cadmium, and small, sealed lead-acid batteries, will continue to be accepted in the library bins, where they have been collected for more than a decade, said Lou Vega, county recycling director.

“We’ve had a relationship for well over a decade without incident,” with the libraries, Vega said.

Signs will be posted in libraries reflecting the new policy, Vega said.

Because of the potential hazard, county Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti told the committee she was uncomfortable with lithium batteries being collected in libraries and stored in bulk and sorted in the Oakhill Renaissance Place basement, awaiting shipment to a battery recycling company.

Read more about the new restriction in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.