Earlier this month we saw another alarming fire caused by rechargeable batteries at a local authority facility. Starting in a metal storage skip, the blaze is sadly not a unique incident – in 2021, the ESA reported that 48 per cent of the 201 waste fires in the UK are caused by lithium-ion batteries.
Crushed or water-damaged batteries are prone to combustion. Once alight among flammable materials such as paper or plastic, they have the potential to cause thousands of pounds in damage, as well as posing a safety threat to operatives and members of the public.
Responsible disposal and recycling are crucial. The ESA report recommends separate kerbside collection for batteries and small WEEE, and Valpak supports this initiative, together with consumer awareness campaigns.
We know that ease of collection is important, so Valpak supplies free battery recycling boxes that can be placed inside the cab, or in a cage on the side of a vehicle. We have also worked with local authorities to provide battery collection points next to small mixed WEEE recycling containers at HWRCs. However, simply providing the means to recycle will not achieve the change needed, we need to make the public aware, and encourage them to do the right thing.
Many of the waste batteries arriving at local authority sites are still encased inside electrical products. If we are to improve battery collections, we must also focus on raising the profile of WEEE recycling schemes. Valpak is keen to engage with local authorities to improve participation. Our 2019 social media campaign for Shropshire County Council, for example, used targeted Facebook adverts to tackle misconceptions around the recycling of mixed, small WEEE items.
Launched on Black Friday, the campaign reinforced the message that smaller items can be recycled. The ads reached 32,936 householders and resulted in a 21-tonne increase in small appliance recycling.
Community engagement can also be effective. In the North East, Valpak has organised school poster competitions, while closer to home our #PowerToDoMore campaign donated £5 to Acorns Children’s Hospice for every battery collection box ordered locally. Our latest campaign, in 2022, saw 951 boxes ordered over three months.
The latest incarnation of #PowerToDoMore used QR codes to track the volume of small electricals and batteries collected at civic amenity sites. When members of the public dropped off batteries for recycling, they were able to scan a QR code; for every battery collected, Valpak donated £1 to charity.
While the risk of fire is a huge incentive to collect batteries, the elements recovered from lithium-ion batteries are also in great demand. The growth in electric cars alone means this trend will continue for the foreseeable future. With the right systems in place, local authorities will reduce their risk, protect staff and householders, and generate valuable materials for manufacturing in the green economy.
