Warwickshire County Council’s Waste Recycling Team has paid tribute to the prompt actions of staff, following a small fire over the weekend triggered by incorrectly disposed of batteries.
On Saturday 19 July, staff at Rugby’s Hunter’s Lane household waste recycling centre noticed smoke coming from one of their waste containers. On further investigation, staff found that a member of the public had thrown in a bag of lithium-ion batteries in a black bag, taped up. Upon compaction, one of the batteries had ignited. Staff raised the alarm immediately and evacuated the site including the AGE UK Reuse Shop.
Once the batteries were located, quick thinking staff carefully removed them and placed them in a metal bin away from everything else on the Hunter’s Lane site, where they were left to cool before being correctly disposed of.
Thankfully, on this occasion. the bag of batteries was in between two damp mattresses which stopped the fire spreading quickly and limiting damage to a small burn hole in one of the mattresses.
Fires do happen occasionally at recycling centres and when smoke is seen, local residents are advised to call the fire service via 999, keep their distance, stay indoors and shut their windows.
Fires at recycling centres and in kerbside bins are most often caused by the following items which are listed along with the correct way to dispose of them:
Vapes - Do not put in any kerbside bin. Every HWRC in Warwickshire has a dedicated container for vapes, or return to the vendor
Batteries - Do not put in a kerbside bin. Some local councils do take at the kerbside when presented in a separate bag on bin day. Every HWRC in Warwickshire has a dedicated container for batteries, or place in dedicated container at many larger supermarkets and electrical retailers
Waste Electrical and electronic items - Do not put in a kerbside bin. Some local councils do take at the kerbside when presented in a separate bag on bin day. Every HWRC in Warwickshire has a dedicated container for waste electricals, or return to electrical retailer
Hot ash, cinders, coals or disposable BBQs - Do not move or put in any bin until cold. Speed up cooling by using cold water.
There was no disruption to operation of The Hunter’s Lane site which continues to be open for pre-booked appointments.
Councillor Darren Cheshire, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Environment, Heritage and Culture, said: “This incident at Hunter's Lane serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of incorrectly disposed of batteries and other hazardous items. We are incredibly grateful to Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service for their swift and effective response. It is crucial that residents understand the correct way to dispose of items like batteries, vapes, and electricals to prevent future fires and ensure the safety of our recycling centre staff and the wider community. We urge everyone to utilise the dedicated facilities provided at our Household Waste Recycling Centres or through other designated collection points."
Information about your local recycling centres and booking can be found at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/hwrc
Residents can Follow Warwickshire Recycles on social media for daily tips:
- On Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/warwickshire_recycles/
- On Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/warwickshirerecycles
Residents can find out where their recycling goes and the types of products it goes on to be remade into by visiting www.warwickshire.gov.uk/whereitgoes
For more information about how Warwickshire County Council is facing the challenges of the climate change emergency, visit: https://www.sustainablewarwickshire.co.uk/