Ohio EPA halts battery burning permit at Piqua training site after air, water quality concerns

PIQUA — The battery burning permit in Piqua has been stopped, at the city’s request, according to a spokesperson from the Ohio EPA.

>>Permit for firefighters to burn lithium-ion batteries near river raises concerns in Piqua

Lithium-ion batteries were burnt for testing purposes at the former water treatment plant in the city.

The Ohio EPA issued a notice of violation to the Energy Safety Response Group (ESRG). It was then requested that water and air data collected over the last three years on-site be sent to the Ohio EPA for review, the spokesperson said.

The City of Piqua has agreed that the ESRG will vacate the site within the next 60 days.

Ohio EPA and the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency inspected the site on Sept. 21, after they received numerous complaints of open burning and concerns over air emissions and water contamination, the spokesperson said.

Their inspection determined that this burning did not meet the requirements of the Open Burning Permission.

>>Firefighter training program involving burning of lithium-ion batteries coming to an end in Piqua

The permission was submitted by the Piqua Fire Department for the ESRG to conduct fire research and training.

The fire department was not on site for the burning.

The Ohio EPA terminated Piqua’s Open Burning Permission at the city’s request.

The site could be used for other fire training in the future.

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