Household batteries and items containing ion-lithium batteries, which have been disposed of incorrectly, are causing fires in recycling centres around the country and two have occurred locally in recent months.
This Recycle Week East Ayrshire Council has partnered with Scottish Fire and Rescue to raise awareness of safe battery disposal and to encourage our communities to recycle household batteries and items containing lithium-ion batteries, particularly vapes.
The campaign, which will include adverts on bin lorries and bin stickers, will remind households that batteries must never be disposed of in a residual waste bin and that batteries must be removed from household items before they are recycled and disposed of separately.
Batteries can be secured in a bag and placed on top of the recycling trolley for collection or loosely tied to the trolley handle.
Supermarkets and shops that sell batteries also accept them for recycling. Households can use this handy locator to find the nearest recycling point https://www.recyclenow.com/recycle-an-item/batteries
Disposable vapes, which have batteries that can’t be removed, have been identified as a serious fire risk and must be taken to a recycling centre for safe disposal. They must not be put in recycling or residual waste bins.
Shops that sell vapes have a legal responsibility to accept used vapes for safe disposal.
Councillor Jim McMahon, Spokesperson for Housing, Transport and Communities, who was joined by Councillors Neal Ingram, Graham Barton, Douglas Reid and Clare Maitland, said:
“It is essential that everyone disposes of household batteries and items containing lithium-ion batteries safely to protect themselves and others from fire. Western Road recycling centre has been affected by two fires in recent months and from the press and Health and Safety reports from other local authorities, we can see that fires are happening regularly in recycling centres around the country.
“From my personal experience, people don’t seem to be aware that vapes in particular need to safely recycled and are dangerous if disposed of in a residual waste bin. That’s why we are working really hard to raise awareness of the dangers and encourage our communities to take action.
“We are urging people who use disposable vapes to drop their used vapes at one of our recycling centres or return them to the shop where they were bought for safe disposal.
“In terms of household batteries, it is safer and better for the environment, and more cost effective, to use rechargeable batteries but if you chose not to use rechargeable please ensure that you dispose of your household batteries separately. Never put them in your residual or recycling bins.”
Area Commander Ian McMeekin is Local Senior Officer for Ayrshire. He said:
"Rechargeable batteries containing lithium-ion must always be recycled properly and should never be placed in household general waste as they contain chemicals that can catch fire or explode.
"It's important people follow the recycling advice by local authorities, but we also want people to handle these batteries responsibly throughout the lifespan of the product. That means buying items from reputable retailers in the first place and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper storage and maintenance.
"Never charge or store lithium-ion battery products in bedrooms or hallways where you need to keep escape routes clear if there's a fire."