A waste collector has warned that batteries and vapes should not be placed in household rubbish or recycling bins because of the fire risk they pose. TikTok user Ashley, who posts under the handle The No1 Binman, told the BBC: “Do not put vapes or batteries in any bin. You can take them to B&Q or the vape shop you bought them from, and they're meant to dispose of them themselves.”
Fire hazard in refuse lorries
Leaving batteries in a bin for collection can create a serious fire hazard for refuse vehicles. Ashley said: “I've had this before - and I'm not sure if it's a battery or a vape - the back of a lorry started smoking.”
Some local authorities do allow residents to put batteries on top of their bins in small carrier bags, but households are advised to check whether this arrangement applies in their area before assuming it is allowed.
Recycling collection tips
Ashley also offered advice on making sure recycling gets collected. Waste operatives are told to reject any bin containing more than five to 10% non-recyclable material, reports WalesOnline. One frequent reason for rejection is homeowners failing to remove packaging. Ashley explained: “You should be taking food out if you put it in your food waste bin, rather than chucking it straight in there – like if you've got a loaf of bread that's out of date.”
Another common mistake is polystyrene ending up in the paper bin. Ashley emphasised that when an item is delivered in a cardboard box, it is essential to strip out any polystyrene packaging before placing the box in the recycling. Pizza boxes, although usually made from cardboard, are not suitable for the recycling bin because grease soaked up from the pizza makes the cardboard non-recyclable.
Battery recycling options
The Recycle Now website states: “If your local authority accepts batteries as part of their home recycling scheme, there may be special instructions on how to put them out for collection - for example, place batteries in a clear plastic bag tied to your recycling bin. It is best to check with them first.”
Alternatively, numerous retailers provide battery drop-off points for recycling, and local council-operated recycling centres are also likely to feature designated collection points for spent batteries.
All household batteries, including 'button' batteries from watches, and battery packs from laptops, mobile phones, power tools and remote control units can be recycled. Car batteries can also be recycled but only at designated collection points, not in home recycling. Household batteries, including those contained in vapes, toys, headphones and car key fobs, have emerged as one of the most substantial and fast-growing causes of fire in domestic waste and recycling throughout the UK, according to the BBC earlier this year. In Guernsey alone, roughly 40 individual fires at waste facilities have been caused by dangerous items, including batteries, during the last four years. When batteries are thrown away in general waste or ordinary recycling bins, they face the danger of being punctured or crushed by heavy machinery during collection or processing, which can spark a fire.
