Battery bin fires force council to scrap kerbside collection as safety fears grow
BCP Council is urging residents to dispose of batteries safely after a rise in fires linked to waste collections
Residents across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are being urged to dispose of batteries safely after a series of fires linked to discarded items forced changes to local recycling services.
BCP Council has ended its kerbside battery collection service following a growing number of incidents caused by batteries and battery-powered items, including disposable vapes, being placed in household rubbish and recycling bins.
Officials say the problem has become increasingly serious, with several recent fires bin lorries and at recycling centres caused by damaged batteries igniting during the collection processing of waste.
The council said the decision to scrap kerbside battery collections was taken to reduce the risk of further incidents, warning that incorrect disposal during household collections could increase the likelihood of batteries ending up in the wrong bins.
Instead, residents are being encouraged to use the many free drop-off points available in supermarkets and shops, where retailers are legally required to accept used batteries and disposable vapes.
Councillor Andy Hadley said the risks posed by discarded batteries had become impossible to ignore.
“Batteries placed in household bins or recycling trucks are causing a growing number of fires, putting our waste crews, facilities and residents at risk, as we continue to hear about and to tackle fires caused by batteries,” he said.
“Since January 2025 to date we have had 11 fires linked to incorrect battery disposal, which poses an unacceptable danger.
“We do ask residents not to put batteries and items containing batteries such as vapes into either their recycling or residual waste bins, but to dispose of them carefully at a drop-off point,”
The council is working with Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, which has repeatedly warned about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries commonly found in vapes and other electronic devices.
Fire crews say these batteries can ignite or explode if crushed or punctured inside waste lorries, creating a serious hazard for workers and surrounding communities.