Jenny Storey

Basic Information

Applicant Type: Individual/s

Key Contact: Jenny Storey

Main Questions

Problem Solution

Problem:
Lithium batteries ending up in the waste stream due to being placed in a waste receptacle (bin). Lithium batteries cause fires, not only damaging property, but also jeopardising the safety and health of workers - including mental health - and having a knock on effect to the wider workplace and operation on so many levels.
Early detection:
- of batteries being present/identifiable before being placed in the waste stream (identifiable clear logo on products containing lithium batteries; and on batteries - coupled with education for public);; and
- of batteries that might be already within the waste stream (embedded disc/electronics that are scannable to identify a bin containing a rouge battery).
Through early detection, and public education, enable greater separation and recovery of batteries by:
- providing high numbers of identifiable receptacles in neighbourhoods and in public places where other bins may be competing for ease of use; and
- by implementing a cash deposit scheme to make compliance more appealing.

The solution is further outlined in the section below.

Impact

Early detection (and future ready design) suggestion:
1. Develop a logo/signage to be used on all lithium operated items. This may take time to be recognisable, like the nike tick, or the telstra T are recognisable to all.
2. Teaching community that this logo means it becomes an explosive/fire risk for other people if placed in a normal bin/ recepticle - and if anyone puts something with this logo in a non-designated bin, they may be responsible for the life of another person ... make it that serious, because that is what it is! Posters, social media ads and saturation, so the community has no excuse - show them the fires and individual stories of how lives affected - not just deaths/injury, but also the mental health and the great angst that comes with incident investigation processes; and having to explain how a fire happened on your watch; or, the devastation for workers loosing their workplace, and possibly their jobs if the business cannot function after fire.

3. A battery return scheme, with cash back when batteries deposited - along the same principals as is done with bottles under container deposit schemes in many states.

4. Providing a saturation of battery receptacles (with the above logo and clear identification and included in the above community teaching). These receptacles to be embedded in:
i. neighbourhoods, even as plentiful as on each street corner (as used to occur with red postal or telephone boxes years ago); so people do not have to go far to drop off batteries. Battery receptacles to have a back to base method to show when they are getting full, to target for the next collection round; and
ii. receptacles in places where public may dispose of lithium batteries or items containing batteries, when away from the home - including hotels, hospitals, airports, and any business that has any type of bins that public may use or have access to.
ie. keeping the bins so people don't have to go 'looking' for them, and then become lazy and just drop it where they will.
This sounds expensive, but it is less expensive than replacing waste facilities, let alone the damage to waste workers' lives.

Running concurrently with the above:
1. Manufacturers to also embed a disc (or some other element) into batteries that beep/sound off when scanned at the point of bins being lifted for tipping as well (for detection prior to even entering the truck).
2. Significant fines (we are talking about people's lives here) for placing batteries in general bins.
3. Inspectors could also have scanners to check bins in situ and before they are collected; and follow up appropriately.

Business Model

I am an individual - retired from the waste industry; and have seen fires and people affected first hand.

I trust the above is helpful to someone and gives ideas (I am more interested in giving solutions that someone could get further ideas from, than I am in winning a prize).

Market Readiness

If any group wants to take up these ideas, then please feel free to pass them on.
Most of the above has been done for other purposes in the community in one way or another; and with technology and media today, it is more possible to roll out today if funds are willing to implement.

Team

I do not intent to deliver the project, but these are ideas for teams to take on board if they are thought relevant / worthy of consideration.