LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Two semi-truck carrying lithium batteries caught fire in two months.
Both shut down parts of major freeways. The first created a traffic mess on I-15 in late July. The second currently has a section of US-95 closed with no word on when it will reopen.
Regulations on transporting lithium batteries aren’t straight forward.
A lot goes into transporting lithium batteries and they are regulated as hazardous material under the US Department of Transportation.
The US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said regulations require that lithium batteries pass design tests before they get on the road. After that, the manufacturer has to make a report about the testing.
There are a number of guidelines on how to transport lithium batteries on roads and highways but how depends on their size and wattage.
FOX5 is working to figure out the size and wattage of the batteries involved in either of the semi-truck fires
One of the US DOT regulations requires each battery to be individually put into a non-metallic package. Some pictures in the agency’s Lithium Battery Guide for Shippers show bubble wrap. Then, the individually wrapped batteries go into another package made of a sturdy material like metal, wood, or plywood. The number of individually wrapped batteries can go into that larger package also depends on the size and wattage.
The laws change when transporting a product with a lithium battery already inside it, like a computer for example. There are different regulations for transporting damaged, defective or recalled lithium batteries.
As for disposing batteries, the US Environmental Protection Agency says lithium batteries should not be thrown away in household garbage cans. You’ll have to take them to designated recycling centers. Some electronic and hardware stores like Best Buy or Home Depot will take them off your hands, but give your location a call first to make sure they will.
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