Fire crews extinguished a blaze at Enva’s recycling centre in Perth at the weekend after a lithium battery within incoming waste material ignited.
Four appliances, a water carrier and a height vehicle were initially called to the fire at the Friarton Bridge Park at about 5pm on Saturday. Local residents were warned to keep windows and doors closed due to “heavy smoke” in the area.
Fourth fire at the site since 2022
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said crews left the scene at about 8.30am on Sunday morning, with a reinspection to ensure the site’s safety scheduled for later in the day. This is the fourth fire to take place at the site since 2022. A lithium battery fire in February last year saw Friarton Bridge closed for 10 hours, while two years previously in February 2023 a worker was tragically killed as a result of a fire at the site.
Following the latest incident, Perthshire North MP Pete Wishart has called on the UK Government to take further action to address the growing risks posed by lithium batteries following the blaze. Enva has also said it is “committed to leading the change” in changes to improve safety as lithium batteries “are now embedded in an ever-growing range of everyday products”.
MP calls for stronger regulation
Mr Wishart has also highlighted previous local incidents, including the major fire at the Binn Group’s waste facility near Glenfarg, where a discarded battery or vape was identified as a possible cause. Mr Wishart has written to the UK Government’s Environment Secretary calling for stronger action on the manufacture, regulation and disposal of products containing lithium batteries. He has stressed that while waste management and recycling operations are devolved matters, key areas including product safety, manufacturer responsibilities and the regulation of consumer goods containing lithium batteries sit with the UK Government.
Mr Wishart said in the letter the increasing number of incidents across Scotland and the UK, including the devastating fire in Glasgow city centre earlier this year, demonstrate the need for a coordinated response to reduce the risks faced by recycling workers, firefighters and communities.
Industry response and safety measures
Following the blaze, Enva posted a statement on its website: “On Saturday afternoon, a fire occurred at Enva’s Perth e-waste recycling facility after a lithium battery within incoming e-waste material ignited. Thankfully, our fire detection, containment and response systems worked as they were designed to. The fire was contained within a designated waste containment area, preventing it from spreading further. There was no damage to our processing plant, the facility remains fully operational and, most importantly, there were no injuries.”
Enva added: “This is an issue that requires a much stronger, coordinated response. Manufacturers, policymakers, producers, retailers, consumers and the recycling sector all have a role to play in improving product design, collection systems, public awareness and the safe handling of batteries throughout their lifecycle.”
A DEFRA spokesperson said: “The government is working hard with partners across industry to review UK Batteries Regulations to help prevent battery-related fire incidents, particularly in waste centres. We urge the public to dispose of batteries safely at an appropriate collection point for recycling, or through a specific kerbside battery collection service if provided by the local authority – not in household waste.”
