As electric vehicles (EVs) have become more popular, more and more reports of fires and explosions caused by the lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that power them have made the news from coast to coast. Any fire in a multifamily setting is incredibly dangerous, but lithium blazes are extremely hot, excessively smoky, and more difficult to extinguish than regular fires, making them a threat class apart. 

Under normal conditions Li-ion batteries are considered safe. But if they’re used, maintained, or stored improperly, they can be enormously destructive. According to Jake Wark, public information officer for the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, “We’ve seen residential fires start with items as small as e-cigarettes and as large as e-bikes. The most common scenarios include overcharging the devices and using generic or aftermarket charging equipment.” 

This leaves boards, managers, and even legislators struggling to figure out if and how to use rules, education, and laws around lithium batteries and the devices they power to prevent such disasters.

A Regulatory Patchwork

According to industry pros, there is no legislation regarding Li-ion devices at the federal level, though some New England states have followed in the footsteps of New York City to get a handle on their use, storage, and disposal. 

In Vermont, the high cost and danger of improperly disposing of Li-ion batteries prompted the state to shift the responsibility of ensuring safe, funded recycling solutions onto manufacturers through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This expansion of Vermont’s 2014 battery stewardship law mandates that starting January 1, 2026, producers of portable and medium-format batteries, including those used in e-bikes, must participate in a state-approved battery recycling/stewardship plan. Disposal of recyclable batteries in landfills is generally prohibited, so the new rule means that producers must fund safe recycling systems.

Connecticut also has an EPR law—Public Act 25-34—that went into effect in June 2025. As in Vermont, the Act shifts the burden from taxpayers to battery producers, requiring those producers to fund collection and recycling systems for consumer portable and medium-format batteries. Stewardship plans are due in 2026; full program implementation is slated for January 1, 2027.

In Massachusetts, legislative proposal H.2641/HD.2094 would prohibit storing non-certified e-bikes and other micromobility devices with Li-ion batteries inside buildings, instead requiring them to be stored outdoors or in certified containment enclosures. As of publication, the proposal has not yet been implemented.

Most New England municipalities do not currently have standalone ordinances specifically regulating the charging or storage of lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes, relying instead on education + voluntary guidance rather than hard legal prohibitions.

What Can Boards Do?

Wark says that without a legislative solution, education is key to keeping buildings and communities safe. He lays out some straightforward ways to minimize the potential hazards that lithium-ion batteries pose at home.

“First and foremost,” he says, “every family should have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on every level of their home. Smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years, and CO alarms should be replaced after five to seven years, depending on the model.” 

When it comes to lithium-powered devices, large or small, “We strongly recommend using the charging equipment that came with your device,” Wark says. “Plug it directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip. Charge the device (or the battery, if it’s charged separately) on a hard, stable surface like a table, not a bed or couch. Don’t toss clothes, bedding, or other combustible materials on top of it. It may be tempting to leave your phone or laptop charging overnight while you sleep, but it’s much safer to do this while you’re awake and in the room. Disconnect the device when it’s fully charged.”

Wark goes on to advise that “Lithium-ion batteries are best charged, stored, and used at room temperature; keep them out of direct sunlight. With regard to scooters and e-bikes in particular,” he says, “store these large devices outdoors if possible. If you must store them indoors, keep them away from doors, windows, and stairways. Always keep these routes clear so you can escape—and firefighters can enter—in an emergency.

“Finally, with regard to disposal, lithium-ion batteries should not be discarded in the trash,” Wark warns. “Recycling is the best option, and you can find a location to take them at call2recycle.org/locator.”

E-mobility devices and other lithium-powered tech are here to stay—that much is for sure. To mitigate risk and prevent loss of life and property, boards and managers must draft sensible, clear regulations about when and how ion batteries must be charged and stored, and make sure all residents know and abide by them. It’s truly a matter of life and death.