The Finnish producer responsibility organization for electrical and electronic equipment, SER, is investing in fire safety by equipping its e-waste containers with Salgrom Spider automatic fire suppression units. Currently, more than fifty SER collection containers across Finland are protected by Spider — including one located at the ecoStation in Ivalo.
The collaboration was sparked by an article in the business newspaper Kauppalehti:
”I read an article in Kauppalehti about a new fire suppression solution that could extinguish a shipping container fire within seconds. I started thinking—could this work for us too?" says Arto Puumalainen.
Spider – Proven Effectiveness in Real Fire Situations
Spider - fire suppression unit has also proven itself in a real-life fire test, Puumalainen confirms. In a live fire scenario, a container was filled with 2,500 kg of e-waste, including lithium-ion battery-powered devices. After suppression, there were no hidden fires or heat pockets that could have caused reignition—something traditional water extinguishing methods cannot guarantee.
“In addition to SER’s own fire test, Spider has also passed Eurofins’ container fire tests under various scenarios with great success,” says SpiderFire CEO Tommi Holappa.
The primary fire risk in SER’s context comes from damaged battery-powered electronics with high energy content, often deposited into the containers fully charged. When ignited, battery fires are fast and burn intensely hot. Quick suppression within seconds is critical—especially since many containers are located close to retail stores.
"“Fires involving electronic devices produce hazardous smoke, and if water is used for extinguishing, also harmful runoff. Spider’s suppression technology significantly reduces the amount of smoke generated, and the aerosol agent it uses poses no risk of environmental contamination,” Puumalainen adds.
Spider is mounted on the container wall using magnets or screws and does not necessarily require the frame shown in the picture.
Tommi presents a Spider unit installed in a SER recycling container at the ecoStation in Ivalo.
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About SpiderFire
SpiderFire AB is a Swedish company specializing in smart fire protection solutions with a focus on automatic suppression systems. With expertise in intelligent aerosol-based systems for technical environments, SpiderFire is the official Channel Partner of EV FirePro in the Nordic region.
For more information:
Riina Aikio, COO
Email: riina@spiderfire.se
Tel: +46 (0) 73 319 06 14
Tommi Holappa, CEO
Email: tommi.holappa@spiderfire.se
Tel: +46 (0) 70 843 94 48
SER Recycling Takes Fire Safety Seriously – Over 50 E-Waste Containers Protected with Spider Fire Suppression Units