Fires in Waste Treatment Facilities: Challenges and Solutions from a Fire Investigation Perspective

Wen-Yen Juan, Chia-Lung Wu (), Fan-Wei Liu and Wei-Sheng Chen ()
Additional contact information
Wen-Yen Juan: Department of Resources Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan
Chia-Lung Wu: School of Safety and Health Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 71101, Taiwan
Fan-Wei Liu: Academy of Circular Economy, National Chung Hsing University, Nantou 540216, Taiwan
Wei-Sheng Chen: Department of Resources Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: Fires in waste treatment facilities have significant social, economic, and environmental implications. Factors such as self-heating of lithium-ion batteries, thermal runaway, friction, human activities, technical errors, and unfavorable storage conditions contribute to these fires. High-risk categories include illegal dumping sites, recycle collection stations, and wood-related facilities. The frequency of fires in waste treatment facilities and the emergence of new waste types have led to public discontent. Regulatory challenges and oversight difficulties pose further obstacles. This study analyzes fire incidents in Kaohsiung City’s waste treatment facilities over the past five years, exploring their causes, regulatory frameworks, and practical challenges. Valuable insights and recommendations are provided to enhance fire safety and risk assessment. These measures aim to mitigate fires’ environmental and facility consequences and their impact. Prioritizing fire prevention and reducing potential economic, social, and environmental consequences are crucial for improving fire safety in waste treatment facilities. Addressing these challenges and prioritizing the safety and sustainability of the waste treatment industry is imperative.

Keywords: waste treatment and management; waste fire; fire safety; cause of fire; environmental impact (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/12/9756/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/12/9756/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:12:p:9756-:d:1174235

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().