78°F
weather icon Cloudy
Boulder City, NV
Opinion

Buy, charge and recycle lithium batteries safely

October 10, 2025 - 9:42 am
 

There is an old but true saying: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Boulder City Fire Department is dedicated to prevention of fires, so we don’t need to be out there fighting them. Through various programs, we try to keep residents, visitors, homes and businesses safe. This sometimes requires a little help from each of us.

This week (Oct. 5-11) is Fire Prevention Week. Boulder City Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association to promote this year’s campaign, “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.” It highlights how important it is to buy, charge, and recycle lithium-ion batteries safely.

Lithium-ion batteries are powerful, convenient, and they’re just about everywhere. Most electronics we use today - smartphones, tablets, power and lawn tools, laptops, e-cigarettes, headphones, toys and more - are powered by lithium-ion batteries. In fact, most everything that’s rechargeable uses this type of battery.

If not used correctly or if damaged, lithium-ion batteries can overheat, start a fire, or even explode. In the United States, it is estimated that 5,000 fires a year are caused by these batteries overheating or exploding.

To reduce these risks, look around your home and find out which devices are powered by them. This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign helps people understand the importance of using these batteries correctly to prevent fires in the home and to follow the Buy, Charge, and Recycle Safely approach.

Buy only listed products:

When buying a product that uses a lithium-ion battery, take time to research it. Look for a stamp from a nationally recognized testing lab on the packaging and product, which means that it meets important safety standards.

Many products sold online and in stores may not meet safety standards and could increase the risk of fire.

Charge devices safely:

• Always use the cords that came with the product to charge it. Follow the instructions from the manufacturer.

• If you need a new charger, buy one from the manufacturer or one that the manufacturer has approved.

• Charge your device on a hard surface. Don’t charge it under a pillow, on a bed, or on a couch. This could cause a fire.

• Don’t overcharge your device. Unplug it or remove the battery when it’s fully charged.

Recycle batteries responsibly:

• Don’t throw lithium-ion batteries in the trash or regular recycling bins because they could catch fire.

• Recycling your device or battery at a safe battery recycling location is the best way to dispose of them. Visit call2recycle.org to find a recycling spot near you.

• The Boulder City Fire Department encourages all residents to be aware of their devices, follow the Buy, Charge, and Recycle Safely approach, and support this year’s FPW theme, “Charge into Fire Safety.”

For more information about Fire Prevention Week and lithium-ion battery safety, visit www.fpw.org.

MOST READ
LISTEN TO THE TOP FIVE HERE
THE LATEST
bcr default image
Bursting our bewitched bubble
By Rod Woodbury

It’s that dreaded time of year again. Monstrous in magnitude. A mysterious ritual. Strange, scary, sinister, and spooky. Macabre and menacing. Dark and gloomy. Dastardly and disturbing. Gruesome and ghoulish. Frightful. Creepy. Petrifying. Even eerie. A wicked, morbid tradition that haunts our city annually.

bcr default image
Mayor’s Corner: Helmets save lives
By Joe Hardy

Emergency personnel in Clark County estimate they respond to four accidents each day involving bikes, e-bikes, or e-scooters. A few of these accidents have involved fatalities of minors — a grim reminder of the dangers of these devices when not used responsibly. Our goal as city leaders is to prevent tragedies from occurring. Any loss of life has a dramatic impact on families, loved ones, friends, as well as on the entire community.

bcr default image
Cheers to 40 years in the biz
By Ron Eland

I thought I’d talk a little about the newspaper business on the heels of the Review winning seven statewide awards the other night in Fallon.

bcr default image
AI is here. Just ask your neighbors
By Bill Evans Boulder City Review

“I’ve done 10 albums in the past year,” my across-the-street neighbor, Dietmar, told me Sunday morning as we stood in the street between our two houses catching up. He added that his wife, Sarah, had put out two collections of songs in the same time period, adding, “You know it’s all AI, right?”

bcr default image
Astronaut lands in Nevada, so to speak
By Chuck N. Baker

I wish to begin by noting that when it comes to politics, I am registered nonpartisan. So when writing about Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, I’m focusing (well, for the most part), on his role as a retired NASA astronaut, not as a politician.

bcr default image
The patriot way
By Rod Woodbury

Today is Patriot Day, a day most of us refer to as 9/11. In the U.S., Patriot Day occurs annually on Sept. 11 in memory of the victims who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

bcr default image
Program helps homebuyers in Boulder City
By Michael Mays Acting Dep. City Manager and Community Development Director

Owning a home is part of the American Dream. Unfortunately, the steep rise in rental rates and increasing costs for goods and services have left many home buyers struggling to save enough for a down payment.

bcr default image
Helmets could be matter of life and death
By Mayor Joe Hardy

Nobody likes a mandate. After serving in city and state government for more than 30 years, that is one of the biggest lessons I learned. But sometimes, mandates keep us safe and even save lives.