Shocking video shows laptop burst into flames as Lithium-Ion battery catches fire at waste site

Footage shows some of the dramatic moments that batteries have burst into flames, often putting refuse workers at danger. In the shocking video package, Jimmy Fitt, the Assistant District Commander for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service explains: “We’ve seen a large rise in fires both in refuse wagons and waste sites, caused by people disposing of Lithium-Ion batteries incorrectly.”

Over 1,200 fires in bin lorries and waste sites across the country were caused by improperly disposed of batteries in the last year, a 71 per cent increase from the 700 incidents reported in 2022. The "Stop Battery Fires" campaign aims to educate the public about the importance of recycling electricals and batteries to prevent these fires. Recycle Your Electricals is working to make the recycling process more accessible by providing a Postcode Locator tool that helps individuals find their nearest electrical and battery recycling points.

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 [the] nearest drop off point."