Pollution Exposures for Warehouses Storing Lithium Batteries
Lithium batteries and the devices they power have become an important part of our daily lives. They run a variety of machines and gadgets, including cell phones, computers, cars, and countless other products. This increase in lithium battery usage has led to more of them being produced, disposed of, and stored. Storage facilities housing these batteries have a unique set of exposures because of their volatile nature. If they are stored at incorrect temperatures, mishandled, or damaged, fires and explosions can occur. Even if safety precautions are being taken, if the batteries themselves come into contact with each other or with other metals, this may lead to a pollution release.
Let’s take a look at some of the specific environmental exposures these storage facilities may face:
Storage: The overall storage of lithium batteries may be considered a contaminant. If these items leak, spill, explode, etc., this could cause an environmental loss.
Operations: The risk of an environmental claim as a result of transporting, loading, or unloading batteries on the warehouse premises.
Waste: Spills or leaks from drums, old containers, refuse dumpsters, or other types of waste found outside the facility, as well as the batteries themselves being mishandled during disposal.
Fires, Floods, and Other Natural Disasters: Contamination caused by the lithium batteries being stored at a warehouse facility catching on fire, or being ruined in a flood, hurricane, or other uncontrollable event.
News Stories Involving Pollution and Lithium Battery Storage
In 2021, a Tulsa, Oklahoma based recycling facility experienced a claim when a lithium-ion battery fell into the belly of a conveyor line, causing a fire and over $2 million dollars in damage. It took seven months to reopen the facility.
Company sued over fire risk of lithium batteries
Metro Site wins $31M settlement after lithium-ion battery fire
A warehouse packaged various chemical drums. Specifications indicated that all drums should have Teflon or compressed asbestos gaskets. The warehouse used Teflon gaskets, which contained rubber flanges. The flanges deteriorated when exposed to chloroform, which resulted in spills after the drums were delivered to clients. Claims for bodily injury, business interruption, expenses to re¬drum containers and cleanup costs exceeded $1,000,000.
Lithium ion battery explosion blows apart truck trailer in San Pedro crash
Lithium battery fires on U.S. flights now occur nearly twice a week, according to new FAA data
Firefighters urge caution after lithium-ion battery explodes in boy’s pocket
A warehousing facility operated an underground storage tank that was integrity tested annually. The previous year, a slight leak in the tank was detected. It was removed and a small amount of soil was excavated. The tank was given a clean closure status from the state. A short time later, an adjacent gas station discovered that its USTs were leaking into soil and ground water and claimed the warehouse UST was also responsible for the contamination. The warehouse hired consultants to do further investigation and counsel to defend the claims. These professional fees amounted to $250,000.
For more information or to discuss an account, contact us today.
Sources:
https://www.epa.gov/recycle/frequent-questions-lithium-ion-batteries
Type: Blog
Topic: Lithium Batteries Exposures