The Monteagle Waste Facility has been closed to ensure public safety following a fire. The fire occurred at approximately 2:30pm on Friday, 9 January 2025, and is believed to have been caused by batteries being incorrectly disposed of in general waste bins.
Fire and Rescue, NSW Rural Fire Service and Council crews are on site responding to the incident, which is now under control.
During the closure, residents in the Monteagle area are asked to take their waste to the Victoria Street Waste Facility in Young until the site can be safely reopened.
Council reminds residents of the importance of correctly disposing household batteries, warning that incorrect disposal is highly dangerous and can lead to fires, serious injuries and environmental harm.
Batteries – especially lithium-ion batteries found in mobile phones, laptops, power tools, e-bikes, vapes and children’s toys – are a growing safety risk when placed in household rubbish or recycling bins. When damaged or compacted in waste trucks or processing facilities, these batteries can ignite and cause serious fires.
Residents are reminded that batteries should never be placed in red (general waste), yellow (recycling) or green (garden organics) bins.
Instead, used batteries should be recycled through approved programs such as B-cycle, which offers dedicated battery drop-off points at Aldi, Big W, Bunnings and Woolworths stores in Young, or at the following Hilltops Council sites:
Boorowa:
- Hilltops Council Office: 6-8 Market Street
- Boorowa Waste Facility: 12 Merino Road (formerly Tip Road)
Harden-Murrumburrah:
- Harden Library: Trinity Centre, East Street
- Murrumburrah Waste Facility: Araluen Road, Murrumburrah
Young:
- Hilltops Council Office: 189 Boorowa Street
- Victoria Street Waste Facility
These programs and facilities help ensure batteries are handled safely and recycled correctly. For more information, and to find out which sites accept specific battery types, visit the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) website at https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/Your-environment/Recycling-and-reuse/never-bin-a-battery.
The NSW EPA also operates free Household Chemical Cleanout (HCC) events across NSW, providing residents with a safe way to dispose of batteries, chemicals, and other hazardous household materials. Details and event dates can be found at:
https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/Your-environment/Recycling-and-reuse/household-recycling-overview/household-chemical-cleanout
Before disposal, residents are encouraged to:
- Tape over battery terminals (particularly lithium-ion and 9-volt batteries)
- Store used batteries in a cool, dry place away from flammable materials
- Never crush, puncture or damage batteries
- Take batteries to an approved battery drop-off point or HCC event as soon as possible
Council also reminds residents that incidents such as this place a significant financial burden on Council and the wider community. Fires caused by incorrectly disposed batteries can result in damage to waste infrastructure, unplanned site closures, clean-up and remediation costs, and the deployment of emergency services and Council staff. These costs are not covered by waste fees alone and ultimately fall to local ratepayers. Correct battery disposal helps protect community safety and reduces unnecessary costs to Council and residents.
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