Danger of overheating of cell phone batteries – kaernten.ORF.at

A few minutes in the hot sun and it happens: the cell phone no longer works, at least temporarily until it cools down again. The fact that the device turns off by itself is a safety mechanism intended to prevent anything worse from happening. This usually works, but in extreme cases the battery can be damaged by direct sunlight and high temperatures.

Swollen batteries pose a problem for collection centers.

If the battery has already fallen and is “a little bit seriously damaged” inside, the cell phone or battery could potentially swell and go into critical condition, said Andreas Oppelt, vice president of the Austrian Waste Management Association: “Then there is a real danger from the cell phone and you have to keep an eye on it. It is best to take the damaged cell phone directly to be disposed of before anything else happens.”

Oppelt said the batteries would definitely have to be taken to waste collection centers so they could be recycled, otherwise valuable materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt would be lost.

Fire hazard: Do not dispose of batteries with residual waste.

“Under no circumstances should damaged batteries be thrown into residual waste or into any other collection bin: because the risk of fire still exists and we as waste disposal companies suffer greatly from the burning of waste in our garbage trucks or in our facilities and we really ask for the help of all residents,” said Oppelt.

The risk of overheating and disposal guidelines not only affect mobile phones, but also other electrical devices such as tablets, electric scooters and children's toys.