Battery recycling scheme aims to reduce fire risk

Batteries were the cause of more than 1,200 fires in the waste system last year, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council

A battery recycling scheme has been launched to reduce the risk of fires in bin lorries and at waste sites.

From Monday, bin crews in Herefordshire will collect batteries and small electrical items as part of their normal rounds - however, they must be kept separate from other waste and placed on top of the bin.

Batteries put in household rubbish or recycling bins can cause contamination or fires, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).

The NFCC said the incorrect disposal of lithium-ion batteries led to more than 1,200 fires in the year to May 2024, compared with 700 the previous year.

Herefordshire Council said electrical items such as kettles, hairdryers, irons, clocks, and radios should be placed, with the batteries removed, on top of the bin, either on waste or recycling collection days. Batteries should be put in a small plastic bag and also placed on the bin.

They will then be taken away for recycling.

The council's cabinet member for environment, Elissa Swinglehurst, said: "Small electric items and batteries present a huge challenge if they are placed in household bins, as they cause contamination and increase the risk of fire in collection vehicles or at waste sites.

"I hope all residents get behind this new service to ensure that even more of our waste is recycled in the right way."

Just last week, a fire believed to be caused by a vape broke out in Doncaster, while a blaze in Essex last month affected 35 tonnes of waste.

Full details of what can and cannot be recycled can be found on Herefordshire Council's website.