A Sandwell Council refuse collection crew experienced first-hand the dangers of people putting batteries or electricals in the general waste when a fire broke out in the rear of their bin lorry.
Firefighters were called to the bin lorry fire in Smethwick on Friday, November 8 after a Serco bin crew reported smoke coming from the back of their refuse collection vehicle.
The suspected cause of the fire was a discarded lithium-ion battery, emphasising the importance of safe disposal practices for batteries and electricals. Fortunately, no one was injured, and quick action from the crew and West Midlands Fire Service prevented further damage.
Sandwell Council, Serco and the West Midlands Fire Service are urging residents to safely dispose of batteries and electrical items at dedicated recycling points, such as the Household Recycling Centre in Oldbury, to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Councillor Keith Allcock, Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways at Sandwell Council, said:
“Fortunately, no-one was harmed during this incident, but it is a stark reminder of how dangerous batteries can be when disposed of incorrectly. We encourage all residents to use a designated recycling point for both batteries and electricals, so that you can be sure you are not going to cause any fires or pose any dangers to waste collection staff or the community.”
Sam Dalton, Contract Manager at Serco, stated:
“Our crews acted swiftly to manage the situation and keep everyone safe, but it’s crucial that batteries and electronic items never end up in household waste or recycling bins. The compacting equipment in the body of the refuse vehicles punctures the battery which can lead to ignition.
“The good news is that small batteries can still be recycled at the kerbside just as long as they’re separated out into a clear bag. Residents should put the bag on top of their blue lid bin for our crews to put into a side compartment. Alternatively, both batteries and electricals can be taken to our Household Recycling Centre in Oldbury.”
Steve Ball, Head of Response at West Midlands Fire Service said:
"As seen in this incident, batteries of this nature can be extremely hazardous when disposed of improperly and can pose significant risk to the public and, in this instance, the collection crew.
"Lithium-ion batteries are found in many everyday items such as electric toothbrushes, mobile phones, chargers, toys and e-cigarettes. When they're used correctly, they pose minimal risk. But products like these can prevent a fire hazard if over-charged, short-circuited, submerged in water, or in this case, incorrectly disposed.
"We encourage everyone to recycle them at designated battery recycling locations or via the appropriate kerbside recycling method in Sandwell."
The correct way to dispose of all types of household battery is to remove them from the electrical item, if possible, and recycle them both separately.
Small household batteries can be put inside a clear plastic bag and put on the blue lid recycling bin to be collected separately by the bin crew.
Alternatively, batteries and electrical items can be taken to the Household Recycling Centre in Oldbury open 8am-4pm everyday (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day). Visits can be booked in advance on the Sandwell Council website.
There are also collection points in all major retailers that sell batteries and electricals. Find your nearest battery and electrical recycling point.