Explosion in Whitehall, Ohio garbage truck sparks safety warning from Rumpke

An explosion in a residential garbage truck in Whitehall, Ohio, has prompted a strong safety warning from Rumpke about the dangers of improperly discarding hazardous materials.

The incident occurred on January 29 when an illegally disposed oxygen tank caused an explosion in the back of a garbage truck. The situation highlighted a growing problem in the waste industry.

“This is an extremely dangerous situation that the waste industry is encountering far too often,” said Bridget Biggs, Corporate Safety Manager at Rumpke. Employees are trained to watch for flammable items during collection, however identifying every hazardous item is challenging, especially when materials are bagged. They are continuing to see residents and businesses incorrectly place flammable items in waste and recycling containers, resulting in truck and facility fires. Not everything can be discarded in curbside trash and recycling containers.

According to Rumpke, common household items that should never be disposed of at the curb include:

• Lithium-ion batteries (found in electronics, lawn equipment, power tools, etc.)

• Propane tanks

• Oxygen tanks

• Automotive fluids

• Appliances containing freon

• Smoke detectors

• Pesticides and fertilizers

• Pool chemicals

Rumpke urges residents to contact their local solid waste district to find proper disposal options for these materials. Disposing of them improperly not only endangers sanitation workers but also creates serious risks for communities.

For more information on safe disposal methods, residents can visit Rumpke.com.