Residents urged to never bin batteries or electrical goods after seven fires in refuse lorries in 2024

Residents are being encouraged to never bin batteries or electrical gadgets in a new advertising poster campaign on the side of refuse collection lorries.

Bin lorry and recycling centre blazes are becoming increasingly common across the UK as we buy and throw away more electronic items containing batteries, including vapes, e-cigarettes, mobile phones and e-bike battery packs.

Already, seven fires have occurred in the Greater Cambridge area in 2024.

Hidden batteries inside electricals can spark dangerous fires when crushed in bin lorries and recycling centres. Lithium-ion battery fires are particularly challenging to tackle, endangering bin crews, firefighters and local residents. Smoke and fumes can affect neighbouring areas and communities for up to a week.

Now, Greater Cambridge Shared Waste, a service shared by South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council, is using a national waste campaign cartoon character - called Hypnocat – on posters on the side of bin lorries to remind residents to safely dispose of batteries and electrical goods.

Cllr Rosy Moore, Executive Councillor for Climate Action and Environment at Cambridge City Council, said: “Hypnocat is part of the national ‘Recycle Your Electricals’ campaign and is a fun influential character helping us to get residents’ attention and shine a spotlight on the important message to keep batteries and electronic or electrical items out of bins.”

Research from Recycle Your Electricals found that over 1.1bn electricals and 449.9m loose batteries were binned in the last year. UK adults admitted that on average they’d binned at least 24 batteries, including fifteen electricals containing batteries and 9 loose batteries.

Natalie Warren-Green, Lead Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Licensing at South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Batteries, vapes and small electrical items like phones, toys or hairdryers can be recycled at various local collection points including shops, recycling banks and larger Recycling Centres. In addition, homes with their own bins in South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City can recycle small household batteries by leaving them in a small, sealed bag on top of any of their wheelie bin lids.”

Research from Recycle Your Electricals shows that:

• Battery fires in bin lorries and at waste sites in the UK have reached an all-time high –over 1,200 in the last year, an increase of 71% from 700 in 2022
• 6bn batteries were thrown away in the last year, over 3,000 a minute – including over 1.1bn electricals containing hidden lithium-ion batteries
• National Fire Chiefs Council says “fires involving lithium-ion batteries are a disaster waiting to happen”
• Battery fires cause air pollution levels to spike in local areas, breaking WHO limits, affecting the health of local communities
• Cost impact of battery waste fires could also be significant – Zurich UK has seen some insurance claims range up to £20 million 

Scott Butler, Executive Director of Recycle Your Electricals, said: “With more and more products containing lithium-ion batteries, and battery fires on the rise, it’s vital that we stop these fires and reduce the air pollution impact that they have on our local communities and the dangers they present to fire fighters and waste officers.  We are also throwing away some of the most precious materials on the planet which are vital to our economy.  We are calling on everyone to make sure that they never bin and always recycle their electricals and their batteries. Just search recycle your electricals to find your nearest drop off point.”   

Group Commander Rob Olivier, head of Community Fire Safety at Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, added: “Batteries can be a fire hazard, especially when they are compacted and damaged when mixed in with any household or recyclable waste. A damaged battery can lead to ignition of the highly reactive lithium, leading to a fire starting. We would urge residents to make sure they dispose of batteries correctly at an appropriate recycling facility.”

• Help prevent fires in bin lorries by checking out recycleyourelectricals.org for local collection points where you can safely dispose of batteries and electrical goods.