Battery Fires At Recycling Centres Are Costing the UK £1bn a Year
Wrongly discarded lithium batteries, such as those in vapes, are causing more than 10 fires a week at U.K. recycling centers, according to figures shared with the Guardian: The Environment Services Association (ESA), the trade body for waste management companies, said its members had reported 1,518 fires in the year to March 2026. At least 541 of these fires were directly attributed to lithium…
Battery fires at recycling centers across the UK are costing the country an estimated £1 billion annually, according to the latest figures from the Environment Services Association (ESA). The ESA survey revealed that 1,518 fires were reported at these facilities between the year 2021 and March 2026, with 541 of these incidents directly linked to lithium-ion batteries.
Additionally, there were 216 battery fires occurring within bin lorries or garbage trucks. While the ESA acknowledges that these reported numbers likely underrepresent the true scale of the issue, they estimate that the actual cost could be closer to 70% higher, standing at around £1 billion per year.
Patrick Brighty, the head of recycling policy at the ESA, expressed concern over the rising costs, which have soared from £150 million in 2021 to their current figure. The trade body is advocating for a £5 deposit scheme on the sale of all vape products, aiming to incentivize vape users to return used devices for safe disposal. Brighty highlighted that vapes are among the primary culprits behind these fires due to their low cost, abundance, and typically short lifespan.
He stated that recycling centers often see 40% of fires caused by batteries, but their own calculations suggest the actual figure might be as high as 70%.
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