Warning issued to residents in south Warwickshire after fire inside recycling vehicle

Residents in south Warwickshire are being reminded to dispose of batteries properly after a fire started inside a recycling collection vehicle this week.

The recycling crew were carrying out their rounds in Wilmcote when the lorry caught fire on Tuesday morning - prompting renewed concerns about the dangers of batteries being thrown into household rubbish and recycling bins.

The crew were unhurt and the vehicle fortunately was not damaged but the situation could have been so much worse.

Although the definite cause is not known, it is believed that the batteries were put in an Ariel Capsule tub.

Used batteries placed into general waste or recycling bins and mixed with paper, cardboard, plastic or other recyclable materials such as cardboard can pose a risk.

Any batteries placed into general waste will likely be compacted or punctured during transportation to their final waste treatment facility or damaged during handling.

When batteries are damaged they can become hot and ignite, potentially resulting in fire causing damage and a risk to life.

Stratford District Council does provide a separate kerbside collection service for household batteries – they can be placed next to or on top of any bin on scheduled collection days in a standard sized carrier bag for collection and recycling.

Batteries need to be recycled separately from other materials and there is a large network of free-to-use collection points in supermarkets, at recycling centres, and many other shops.

Cllr Ian Shenton, climate change portfolio holder, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to remind district residents of the importance of disposing of waste properly.

"It is important to remember that batteries and small electrical or battery-operated appliances must not be put into any of the household wheelie bins.

"In addition to fire hazards which can be caused by putting old batteries in the wrong bins, the resources and chemicals found in them such as lead, cadmium, zinc, lithium and mercury can cause harm to the environment.

“As always, we must encourage everyone to bin their rubbish right and remember don’t put batteries in your rubbish, recycling or garden waste bins.”