Thermal Camera Solution to Record Breaking Fires in the Waste and Recycling Industry

Officially, it was a record-breaking year regarding the number of reported fires in the waste and recycling industry. With the record of 390 unique five-alarm fire incidents reported, we can reasonably conclude 2,400 plus fires occurred in 2022 (Ryan Fogelman 2023). Due to the vast number of material recovery facilities alone and the compounding increase of hazards, it’s clear this problem will not suppress. Heat Seeker Cameras offers Early Fire Detection (EFD), a 24/7 monitoring system that inspects for hot spots with infrared cameras to detect early signs of fire.

The primary cause of fires in the waste and recycling industry is improper handling of materials and compressed, punctured materials combust causing spark from metal contact, which ignite flammable contaminants. This can include the mixing of different types of waste, such as batteries, rubbish, gas, oil, which can spontaneously ignite and cause a fire. However, many facilities are not equipped with proper fire suppression systems, making it difficult to control and extinguish fires once they have started. Leveraging Heat Seeker Cameras Early Fire Detection system readily detects and communicates potential fires to key personnel quickly and effectively. Communication options include dial-up voice calls, SMS, text, email, popup, app messages, and push notifications to targeted recipients, thus helping create quick and effective awareness.

Fires are not a new threat for the recycling industry, but without the necessary detection programs, the frequency of recycle-plant fires has drastically increased. Lithium-ion batteries are the biggest threat in the recycling industry because of the varying identities they can equip. Lithium-ion batteries are virtually invisible in the pile and the facility workers often are unable to see them until it’s too late. The global lithium-ion battery market was valued at $30 billion in 2017, it’s projected to increase to $100 billion by 2025 (Jillian Mock 2020). As electronics are becoming more dependent on lithium-ion batteries, they are ending up in the recycling facilities. Most consumers mean well when recycling their electronics, but they are fueling one of the largest impending problems in the recycling industry.

Heat Seeker Cameras optimizes the safety of employees and the facility by combining various fire sensing technologies to detect warming before the formation of smoke or flames. During an incident, the Early Fire Detection Application sends a real time to alarm the recipients. Each message is fully customizable based on the location, severity of the issue, and notify different people based on interests and responsibilities. Early Fire Detection reduces hardware and maintenance cost, adapts to individual needs, and keeps insurance costs low. Heat Seeker Cameras’ intelligent Early Fire Detection solution is the all-in-one fire protection system that keeps your employees and facility safe.

Jayden Endrizzi
jayden.endrizzi@gmail.com
heatseekercameras.com