Remember: Never put batteries in any kerbside bin or the mixed waste bin at a recycling centres!
Warwickshire County Council’s environment portfiolio has paid tribute to the prompt actions of staff and the fire and rescue service following a small fire on Sunday triggered by an incorrectly disposed of battery at Kenilworth’s Chery Orchard household waste recycling centre.
On Sunday 25 October, staff at the centre noticed smoke and flames coming from one of the waste skips. On further investigation, staff found that a member of the public had thrown a rechargeable lithium-ion battery in a black bag along with other household waste.
The site was evacuated and the centre closed to the public as Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service attended to extinguish the fire, which had quickly spread to a neighbouring skip containing cardboard.
Fires at recycling centres and in kerbside bins are most often caused by rechargeable batteries or electrical items that contain them. The following items pose the most risk:
Vapes - Do not put in any kerbside bin or the mixed waste bin at a recycling centre. 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 the 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
The disruption to operations at Cherry Orchard lasted for around an hour and thirty minutes and Warwickshire County Council has extended apologies to local residents and customers whose visit to the centre was impacted.
Councillor Darren Cheshire, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Environment, Heritage and Culture, added: “This incident at Cherry Orchard serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of incorrectly disposing of batteries and other hazardous items.
“We are incredibly grateful to staff at the centre and Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service for their swift and effective response. It's 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