Following the deadly 2023 Maui Wildfires, Hawaiʻi still faced one hazardous waste dilemma on an unprecedented scale: Lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries have proliferated across a span of household products, being used to power everything from smartphones and computers to home appliances and electric toothbrushes.
They can pose a serious fire hazard, and in larger systems like electric vehicles and solar panels, they become hazardous waste.
Maui County and its partners have been developing a solution to address the threats posed by lithium-ion battery waste: It’s known as the “Maui Method,” and it offers a way to neutralize lithium-ion batteries that were damaged during the blaze.
It’s been used so far to safely dispose of several tons of abandoned EV batteries on county lands, and a modified version of the method was even deployed after the Los Angeles fires in 2025.
HPR spoke with Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett and Hazard Mitigation Specialist Chris Wegner to learn more about the method.
“The goal of this Maui Method is to basically reduce or discharge the battery's energy, and then the last step is essentially you're crushing the battery,” Wegner explained.
It’s a seven-step process that involves inspecting each battery and soaking them in a saltwater brine to drain them of their energy, making them safe to transport for disposal.
According to Wegner, it is a process that is as efficient as it is reliable. “It's quick, it's cheap, and it's safe. Very rarely do you get all three,” he said.
However, Lonokailua-Hewett pointed out there is no way to dispose of the batteries on island.
“Without a site here on the island, our ability to transport off island is just another layer of complexity to address,” he explained.
An end-of-life program is currently in development for lithium-ion battery disposal in Hawaiʻi, according to Lonokailua-Hewett.
“We just need to have an end of life pathway to properly dispose of these batteries, and basically close the loop on the proper use of this particular technology.”
MEMA instructs residents to immediately leave the area and call 911 if they have a lithium-ion battery that catches fire.
This story aired on The Conversation on May 21, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
