Warning over battery recycling after waste transfer station fire

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue attended the blaze at Slippery Gowt Lane on Thursday, February 22, where around 60 tonnes of recycled waste was severely damaged when a fire broke out among the recycling.

While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, two burned out laptops, complete with batteries were discovered among the embers.

Christian Allen, head of environmental operations at Boston Borough Council, said: “Batteries and electrical items can be recycled, but not in your home recycling bin.

“They should be taken to Household Waste Recycling centres for proper disposal.

“Batteries can get very hot when they’re amongst other waste and as well as being dangerous, they can contaminate other materials so that waste cannot be recycled.

“Damaged laptop batteries are a genuine risk which is why we always advise to dispose of them in the appropriate way at your nearest recycling centre.

“We all want to do the right thing for the environment by reducing, reusing and recycling as much as possible but it is important we do it in the right way.”

Fire investigation officer at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, Jason Lawley, also expressed concern about the fire risk householders are unknowingly causing.

He said: “Electrical devices should always be disposed of appropriately. Once they become damaged, probably from impact, they can short circuit which often causes a rise in temperature leading to a fire.”