PROBLEM MATERIALS: Safer Communities. Lower Fire Risk.

Canopies & Walkways

PROBLEM MATERIALS: Safer Communities. Lower Fire Risk.

Fire-safe, access-controlled external infrastructure that removes battery-related fire risk from buildings and waste streams, improves disposal behavior, and protects people, assets and operations.

The Problem Cities and Housing Providers Face

Problem materials are creating disproportionate risk across housing, streets and waste systems:

  • Fires caused by lithium batteries and vapes disposed of in bins and recycling
  • Increasing incidents in bin rooms, collection vehicles and MRFs
  • Limited safe disposal options for people living in multifamily housing
  • Indoor retail drop-off points that are poorly used and not designed for fire containment
  • Rising insurance exposure, downtime and operational disruption

Battery & Vape fire damage

These materials are small, embedded in everyday products, and dangerous when crushed. Traditional waste infrastructure was never designed to manage them safely.

Battery & vape unit

The metroSTOR Solution

metroSTOR provides engineered, external containment infrastructure purpose-built for problem materials.

Using one repeatable platform, cities and housing providers can:

  • Externalise lithium-ion fire risk into fire-safe steel enclosures
  • Capture batteries and vapes before they enter waste and recycling streams
  • Use controlled access to reduce misuse and contamination
  • Deploy visible, convenient drop-off points where people actually live
  • Standardize problem-materials infrastructure across estates and districts

This is not a one-off recycling bin — it’s risk prevention infrastructure that scales.

Introduction

“Lithium-ion batteries require special handling for proper recycling and disposal. They should never be placed in waste or curbside recycling bins as they can cause fires, endangering people and waste and recycling infrastructure. The best solution is to use take-back programs designed for safe collection and recycling. NWRA and SWANA are committed to promoting awareness and supporting policy initiatives that ensure proper battery disposal to protect workers, communities and the environment.”

The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) and the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) – Joint Policy Statement

NWRA-SWANA Logo

Outcomes You Can Expect

Reduced fire risk in buildings, vehicles and facilities

Lower insurance exposure and operational disruption

Safer working conditions for staff and contractors

Higher correct disposal of batteries and vapes

Clearer compliance and auditability for emerging regulations

Typical Configurations Used

  • Battery and vape drop-off hubs for multifamily housing
  • Multi-stream problem-materials enclosures (co-located, not co-mingled)
  • Secure external systems at civic sites and campuses
View problem materials system configurations
Organics cart enclosures

From Pilot to Program Infrastructure

Most organisations begin with a small number of hubs at priority sites, then expand using the proven safety and operational case.

Talk to us about a Problem Materials Pilot