Lithium-Ion Battery Fires on the Rise May 10, 2022 Email Since lithium-ion batteries are sensitive to pressure and contact, they can cause truck or facility fires when accidentally thrown in the garbage or curbside recycling. One Brooklyn recycling facility recorded over 100 fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in 2021. Another lithium-ion battery fire burned down a public recycling center in San Carlos, California, causing $6.8 million in damages.