The way large numbers of lithium-ion batteries are being disposed of is leading to increasing concerns, as e-waste campaigners have been joined by local councils and health experts to raise awareness of the dangers that these types of batteries can cause.
The FPA has already reported on several fires breaking out at household recycling centres in the UK, which were all linked to the unsafe disposal of lithium-ion batteries. The not-for-profit organisation, Material Focus, revealed that almost “700 fires each year are caused by batteries that have been thrown into household waste”.
Typically, lithium-ion batteries are found in a large number of household devices such as phones and laptops, power tools, children’s toys, e-bikes and scooters, and even vape devices such as e-cigarettes.
The dangers associated with them cannot be ignored – the batteries are hazardous and have the propensity to catch fire if damaged. Notably, on 26 December 2022, a Lufthansa flight was diverted after a small fire broke out from a laptop that was being stored in an overhead compartment.
Many electrical items, however, tend to be disposed of in regular household waste and recycling with the batteries still intact, rather than the lithium-ion batteries being removed and taken to specialist centres, where they can be recycled safely.
According to GB News, a spokesperson for the Environmental Services Association (ESA) said: "Fires are a perennial issue for our sector because people put all sorts of flammable things out into the rubbish and in ways that they shouldn't. But what we are seeing at the moment specifically is that lithium-ion batteries are responsible for a growing proportion of the fires we face.
"They really are quickly becoming the number one culprit. So, we would urge people to absolutely please recycle all batteries. But particularly with lithium-ion batteries, recycle them separately, using proper battery recycling banks or small waste electrical recycling banks."
E-cigarette waste
Fears over the way electrical items are being disposed of have also extended to the growing number of vaping devices such as e-cigarettes in circulation. Although vaping has led to a significant drop in the number of traditional cigarette smokers, the potential fire risk that such devices can cause when disposed of irresponsibly is cause for concern.
Research commissioned by Material Focus, as part of its Recycle Your Electricals campaign, found that 1.3 million disposable vapes are thrown away each week, despite being fully recyclable. According to Material Focus, this high number of vapes “accumulates to 10 tonnes of lithium a year, equivalent to the lithium-ion batteries inside 1,200 electric vehicles”.
Scott Butler, the Executive Director of Material Focus, said: “Producers and retailers need to work together to ensure that they should make people aware that vapes should never be binned and instead be recycled. Recycling needs to be made easier and manufacturers and retailers can become part of the solution by adding collection points in-store.”
In an innovative move, supermarket giant Waitrose announced that they would stop selling single-use vaping products in their stores due to the negative impact these items had on the environment and also the health of young people. Taking this one step further, the Director of Public Health for Liverpool, Professor Matthew Ashton, recently called for single-use e-cigarettes to be banned completely.
The UK’s growing e-waste challenge
Unsurprisingly, campaigners and environment specialists alike have highlighted the need for better education about the fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries and how to dispose of electrical items safely.
Notably, this is not just a challenge for the UK. In the US, a report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that “245 fires that were caused by, or likely caused by lithium-ion batteries, had occurred between 2013 and 2020 in waste facilities such as garbage trucks and warehouses”. During one such incident, it was reported that four firefighters had to be taken to the hospital to be “treated for chemical burns”.
James Kelly, the CEO of the British Metal Recycling Association (BMRA), adds that the fire risks related to e-waste are particularly high at this time of year: “Almost two fires a day across the country can now be linked to these batteries, according to new research.
"In the space of 10 weeks, thanks to Black Friday deals, Christmas gifts, Boxing Day sales, and January sales, we are likely to see millions of electrical items discarded.
"If there is not an easy option, such as kerbside collection, it is likely that much of this will be disposed of incorrectly. This massively increases the risk of fires across the waste sector. That is why we need to see kerbside collections introduced right away.”
It is believed that the UK government will consult on how batteries are currently being regulated later this year. This includes proposals to introduce “tougher regulations on producers of batteries to fund collection”.
More information on how to recycle electrical items and vapes safely, and to find your nearest recycling point, can be found here.