Residents across Westmorland and Furness are being reminded of the importance of correctly disposing of batteries.
The Council is urging residents to avoid placing batteries in household bins and communal bins following a recent incident where a battery caused a fire in a bin lorry.
Batteries should never be disposed of in your household bins and instead should be taken to your local household recycling centre or an instore collection point such as those found in supermarkets. Batteries can be found in everyday items like toothbrushes, toys, phones, e-cigarettes and laptops - and include rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
Waste placed in household bins and communal bins is compacted in collection vehicles which can damage batteries causing them to ignite, posing a significant risk to collection staff, the vehicle and members of the public. Improper disposal of batteries can also lead to environmental damage caused by pollutants leaking out of the batteries.
Councillor Giles Archibald, Cabinet Member for Climate, Biodiversity and Environmental Services, said:
“It is of vital importance that people realise the dangers posed by the incorrect disposal of batteries.
“Many of our residents make great efforts to recycle their household waste but when it comes to batteries there may be some people who do not know just how important it is to dispose of them correctly.”
This week, while carrying out a routine collection of communal domestic waste bins at Stainmore in Eden, a bin lorry experienced an explosion during compaction, causing its load to catch fire. Quick thinking staff managed to escape harm by emptying the contents from the bin lorry onto the roadside and calling Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service to extinguish the waste.
The cause of the fire has been identified as one of two batteries disposed of incorrectly in the waste. Following the incident, the Council had to safely remove and dispose of both batteries as well as recover around two tonnes of waste that had been emptied onto the roadside to extinguish the fire. The collection vehicle also sustained damage resulting in delays to the collection round and a reduction in the number of vehicles available while it remains out of service for repair.
Councillor Archibald, added:
“Bin lorry fires are on the increase and unfortunately our own staff have seen at first hand the dangers which batteries can cause. We want to keep our staff safe when they are collecting waste as well as protect the safety of the wider public. Fortunately, no one was injured in this recent incident, but it really highlights the severe risks associated with incorrect battery disposal.
“Beyond the immediate safety risks, incidents like this can also cause disruption to waste collections, affecting services for residents across the area.
“The message is clear: never put batteries in a bin. Take them to a collection point at one of our household waste recycling centres or to an instore collection point such as a local supermarket. These are simple steps which will keep everyone safe from this danger and help protect the local environment.”
