A high number of industrial fires in the Westpoort port area are being triggered by improperly discarded lithium-ion batteries, according to recent emergency response data.
Since 2022, firefighters have responded to 214 actual fires in the industrial district, with 158 requiring extra units to control.
While safety experts note the fire count is relatively low given the thousands of businesses operating in Westpoort, industrial blazes carry a much higher risk of toxic smoke and hazardous emissions.
Waste shredders set off chemical reactions
Data shows that 17 out of the 22 largest fires in Westpoort occurred at recycling plants and scrap metal processors.
These facilities process household trash and global scrap metal, which frequently contain improperly disposed-of e-bike batteries, vapes, and loose lithium-ion cells.
At processing plants run by companies like AEB Amsterdam, trash passes through industrial shredders and bag openers to sort materials.
When batteries pass through these machines, they are crushed or dented, damaging their internal separators and causing instant short circuits that lead to fires or explosions.
Fires occur multiple times per week
The facility reports a 50 percent increase in fires caused by thrown-away e-bike batteries compared to last year, averaging three to four minor incidents every week.
Most of these small blazes are managed on-site by staff, but larger incidents require immediate assistance from the regional fire brigade.
Industrial fires in the port frequently send visible plumes of smoke across surrounding neighborhoods, prompting emergency services to advise residents to close windows and turn off ventilation.
The issue aligns with broader concerns around power storage safety in urban areas, similar to how local safety regulations affect household battery uptake across the city.
