Disposable vapes ban sparks concern over refuse truck and waste centre fires

The study* gathered responses from over 1,000 disposable vape owners and reveals that almost three-in-five (ie 58%) of them plan on disposing of their vapes either in household general waste or recycling bins, prompting concerns of the possibility of further fires in refuse trucks and waste centres.

Worryingly, upwards of two-thirds (71%) of those individuals surveyed admit they’re aware that improper disposal of vapes can cause fires in refuse trucks and waste centres, yet most still plan on disposing of them incorrectly.

Meanwhile, nearly 30% of respondents are seemingly not aware of the risks.

Safe disposal of batteries

Single-use and disposable vapes contain lithium-ion batteries. If damaged, these batteries can create explosive and highly toxic fires.

The incorrect disposal of vapes in the general waste system can cause even bigger issues. When general rubbish or recycling is collected, vapes are often crushed, compacted, punctured or soaked in liquids. This can cause the batteries within them to overheat or ignite, leading to fires that place workers at risk. There’s the possibility of millions of pounds’ worth of damage and substantial disruption to waste services.

Even if they don’t start a fire, damaged batteries release harmful chemicals and materials that can damage the environment if not recycled responsibly.

“With the ban on disposable vapes now upon us, we’re urging people not to bin these batteries,” stated Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First. “Lithium-ion batteries can explode or catch fire if damaged, creating a ticking time bomb that places workers and communities at serious risk. The safest option is to recycle these batteries properly.”

Widespread issue

The incorrect disposal of vapes has already caused fires in refuse trucks and waste centres across the country. Last month, the contents of a bin lorry caught fire in Slough, which meant the crew had to dump around five tonnes’ worth of rubbish already collected in the middle of the road in order to ensure the blaze didn’t engulf the whole vehicle. The fire, which was caused by the incorrect disposal of a vape, resulted in substantial damage to the refuse vehicle.

In a similar incident, two tonnes of rubbish had to be dumped by a bin lorry crew operating in East Yorkshire back in January after it caught fire. A fire also broke out at a waste centre in Manchester in April. This incident had to be attended by four fire engines. Both episodes were caused by the incorrect disposal of a vape.

As part of its ongoing campaign to tackle fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, Electrical Safety First is also calling for better and more prominent markings on these batteries that make it clear they’re not suitable for disposal in general waste bins.

*The research was conducted by Censuswide between 22-27 May among 1,003 UK respondents (aged 18-plus) who own a disposable vape

**Further information is available online at www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk