Industry Leaders Address Battery Fire Risks at CDRA Conference

Representatives from CDRA, SWANA, NWRA and ReMA discuss detection, training and funding to combat battery-related fires in waste and recycling operations.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 11:07am

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At the 2026 Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA) Conference & Tradeshow in Tampa, Florida, leaders from four industry associations - CDRA, SWANA, NWRA and ReMA - discussed strategies to address the growing challenge of battery-related fires in waste and recycling facilities. The panel focused on battery fire prevention, detection and response, highlighting the need for a multi-pronged approach involving technology, employee training and adequate funding.

Why it matters

Battery-related fires remain one of the most pressing safety challenges facing waste and recycling operations. As the volume of batteries in the waste stream continues to grow, industry leaders are seeking effective ways to detect and mitigate the risks posed by these fires, which can cause significant property damage and endanger worker safety.

The details

The panel discussed various technologies being used to detect batteries before they cause fires, such as cameras and thermal imaging systems. However, the biggest challenge remains safely extracting batteries from high-throughput facilities. In addition to technological solutions, the panelists emphasized the importance of employee training and a systems-based approach to battery safety. Funding was also identified as a key issue, with municipal recyclers often lacking the budgets to invest in fire detection and suppression equipment.

  • The 2026 CDRA Conference & Tradeshow took place on January 29-30, 2026 in Tampa, Florida.

The players

John Thomas

CDRA president and managing partner at Waste & Recycling Solutions of Berlin, New Jersey.

Michael E. Hoffman

President of the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), based in Arlington, Virginia.

Cheryl Coleman

Senior vice president, advocacy, safety and sustainability of the Recycling Materials Association (ReMA), based in Washington, D.C.

Kristyn Oldendorf

Senior director of public policy and communications at the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), based in Silver Spring, Maryland.

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What they’re saying

“We need to flood the market with this education and information through every channel that all of us possibly can. … This is about a common fight that we're all having to fight together, and we can't do it alone.”

— John Thomas, CDRA president and managing partner at Waste & Recycling Solutions of Berlin, New Jersey

“They've come at it with cameras. They've come at it with IR. Let's take a material recovery facility, and if taking a modern one, they're trying to be at least at 45 tons an hour, up to 60, is the sort of new design of an MSW, single-string, modern facility. They can't turn the thing on and off, so having identified it, how do you get it out? And that's been the biggest challenge we can see. Pretty much everybody's figured out how to see them. … The getting it out part is the part that hasn't been solved.”

— Michael E. Hoffman, President of the NWRA

“At ReMA, we believe that battery safety is a system. It's not a single approach. It's not a gadget. It is looking at it from a systems approach.”

— Cheryl Coleman, Senior vice president, advocacy, safety and sustainability of ReMA

“With many of our members being municipal, it's not like they're having these huge budgets to be buying technologies. She pointed to the need for grant funding and policy solutions, citing Maryland legislation that proposed creating a fund to support electronics recycling and fire prevention technology purchases.”

— Kristyn Oldendorf, Senior director of public policy and communications at SWANA

What’s next

The industry leaders agreed that addressing battery fires will require continued collaboration, education and investment across the waste and recycling sectors. Panelists noted that securing adequate funding, particularly for municipal recyclers, will be crucial to implementing effective detection and mitigation strategies.

The takeaway

The CDRA conference highlighted the growing threat of battery-related fires in waste and recycling operations and the need for a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approach to address this challenge. By leveraging technology, training, and policy solutions, the industry can work to improve safety and prevent catastrophic incidents caused by improperly disposed batteries.