Waste disposal warning after major fires

DANGEROUS: Firefighters tackling a blaze in a scrapyard thought to have been caused by a battery not being removed for recycling. Picture by Hull City Council

By Simon Bristow

Residents in Hull are being urged to dispose of waste correctly after what the city council said were “two major fires caused by incorrect waste disposal”.

Last month, 100 tonnes of waste caught fire in a blaze thought to have been started by smouldering waste setting light to a mattress. The fire, at the FCC Environment site at Wilmington, off Cleveland Street, east Hull on Sunday, June 17, was attended by five fire engines and took four hours to bring under control.

On May 5, a battery which had not been disposed of correctly started a fire which engulfed 50 tonnes of scrap material at John Brocklesby’s scrap yard in Lime Street, east Hull, causing extensive damage.

The council said there had been an increase in waste-related fires more generally, often caused by people disposing of items including batteries, small electricals, gas bottles, hot ashes, vapes and lighters, in their kerbside bins.

There have also been several incidents where waste collection vehicles have found their loads to be smoking or on fire. These incidents can cause “imminent danger to the collection crew and severe damage to council vehicles”, the authority said. 

Doug Sharp, head of street cleansing and waste management at Hull City Council, said:  “Following a rise in waste fires, we urge residents to use the HWRCs [household waste recycling centres] to dispose of dangerous and flammable items, and to not dispose of them with general household waste. 

“These fires can be challenging for the fire service and can cause a strain on council resources. 

“Everyone can do their bit to prevent waste-related fires in the city by ensuring they manage waste disposal appropriately.” 

A campaign to reduce bin fires, launched by the Environmental Services Association (ESA), found that every year fire services are called to over 300 serious fires at recycling and waste management facilities across England, many of which are caused by dangerous and flammable items not being disposed of correctly. 

Sarah Wilkinson, head of prevention at Humberside Fire and Rescue said: “Incidents like this are preventable and we support Hull City Council’s advice to residents to use the household waste recycling centres to properly dispose of electrical items and batteries to reduce the risk of fires from starting.

“Even a small fire can soon become dangerous as it quickly spreads to other waste materials, buildings and vehicles, posing a risk to life, property and the environment.  

“We advise people to never leave damaged batteries in the home or business and to dispose of them safely and correctly as soon as possible. Let’s all work together to help reduce fires from starting and help protect our community and the environment.” 

Rob McMahon, environment officer at the Environment Agency said: “All electrical waste should be properly disposed of and recycled to protect our environment – this includes lithium-ion batteries commonly found in disposable vape pens and other electrical appliances. 

“Raw materials are finite, and every battery thrown away and lost to the system is a waste of valuable resources. We strongly encourage all consumers to dispose of electrical waste at local household recycling centres or at retailers when purchasing replacements, to help reduce the risk of fires which are increasing nationally.” 

Residents wanting to dispose of dangerous and flammable items can take them to one of their local HWRCs or other local collection points. 

The HWRCs can be found at Amsterdam Road, Wiltshire Road, and Burma Drive. All centres are open from Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. 

For more information visit the Council website Household waste recycling centres | Hull City Council 

Residents can also dispose of batteries at some shops and supermarkets. 

To find your local battery recycle point, visit Bring Back Heavy Metal

For more safety advice on lithium-ion batteries visit Humberside Fire and Rescue Service