Maryland is taking a longer-term, more comprehensive approach to lithium-ion battery safety and that’s good news, according to MRN Board member Kitty McIlroy.
In a recent
Waste Dive article, Kitty, a project manager with the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority and Battery Commission member, explains that the original timeline for the state’s
Commission to Advance Lithium-Ion Battery Safety (established in 2024) just wasn’t enough. With lithium-ion batteries creating growing fire risks, the Commission pushed to keep the effort alive. Fortunately, Maryland legislators listened and
reauthorized the Commission so it can continue the work.
One of the Commission’s biggest priorities is establishing an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for small and mid-sized batteries, a separate EPR program for vapes with embedded batteries, as well as updating the existing electronics EPR law to include devices with embedded batteries, all of which are a major source of fires in recycling facilities. A solid program can go far in improving battery and battery embedded device collection, increasing public awareness about proper drop-off, and encouraging environmentally responsible end-of-life management. Other recommendations include requiring recycling facilities to adopt advanced battery detection technology and working more closely with fire and emergency responders on safety efforts.
Kitty also points to funding as a key challenge. Many local governments simply don’t have the money to build proper battery recycling and education programs or invest in safety upgrades. Without new funding streams, progress will be slow.
When it reconvenes in the fall, the Commission plans to continue working on these issues as well as dig into others like insurance costs, permitting rules, and even transportation risks tied to batteries. This is a complex problem that needs long-term attention, not a quick study. And with bipartisan support behind the effort, Kitty is optimistic Maryland is on the right track.
Read the full article here
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