Local people are being urged to ensure they dispose of vapes responsibly, after two waste fires in the last week were found to be caused by vapes in household recycling bins.
It is now easier than ever to safely dispose of small electrical items – including vapes – thanks to the council’s new waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) service, which forms a part of standard waste collections.
However, it is vitally important that any small electrical items, such as vapes, batteries, hairdryers etc. are placed in a plastic bag on top of your bin, and never inside it. The bin collection crew will then put them in a separate cage on the collection vehicle and take them for recycling.
According to the National Fire Chiefs Council, battery fires in bins and at waste sites is at an all-time high and a survey of councils across the UK has found that 94% said that fires caused by batteries in domestic waste were an increasing challenge.
Electrical items and batteries should never be put into household rubbish or recycling bins as they can cause contamination and fires.
Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst, Cabinet Member for Environment said: “We as a county are leading the way when it comes to collecting vapes and other small electrical items as part of our waste collections, but it is incredibly important that people follow the correct procedure and place their small electrical items on top of their bins, and not inside.
“Two fires caused by vapes have needed to be tackled this week alone, which not only disrupts waste collection and recycling, but also uses up valuable time for the fire service.
“I would encourage anybody who is unsure to visit our website to find out more about our small electricals collection, and please make sure never to dispose of vapes within their household waste or regular recycling.”
