​Concerns Raised About Zombie Batteries In Time For Halloween

A zombie battery is one that is flat or no longer required and has made its way into the waste or recycling system. There, a damaged Li-ion battery can cause an explosion or fire. 

Hundreds of such fires caused by the "dead" batteries have been reported at waste and recycling sites alone and this can endanger lives. 

The danger arises when batteries in general waste or recycling become damaged by crushing, squashing or puncturing when they are collected or processed, which generates heat and can lead to the batteries igniting.

The danger is being flagged in a campaign called "Take Charge", organised by Environmental Standards Agency (ESA).

Demand for Lithium-ion batteries is growing massively because of the huge appetite for new technology, from phones to tablets and laptops, to cameras and e-cigarettes.