‘Dispose Safe’ campaign tackles lithium-ion waste truck fires

Tower Hamlets highlights dangers of discarded batteries

Tower Hamlets Council has launched a safety campaign calling for urgent action to tackle the rise in fires caused by discarded lithium-ion batteries, warning that the problem is putting waste crews at risk and disrupting bin collections across the borough.

Dispose Safe aims to address the growing national problem of lithium-ion batteries igniting inside waste trucks and recycling facilities. 

In Tower Hamlets alone, there were 23 fires linked to lithium-ion batteries, nine of which happened in our waste collection vehicles. These fires are placing refuse crews in danger, destroying expensive vehicles and causing major disruption to residents’ waste collections.

At the heart of the campaign is a short animated film explaining how lithium batteries cause fires when crushed inside waste trucks and how residents can dispose of them safely. The animation is available to all local authorities and waste partners across the UK to help raise public awareness and promote consistent battery-safety messages.

Across the UK, more than 1,200 bin lorry and waste site fires last year were linked to lithium-ion batteries, a 71% increase in just one year, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).

Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman said: “This is not just a Tower Hamlets issue. It is a national problem that needs a national response. Every time a battery is thrown into the bin, it risks exploding when crushed inside a waste truck. That puts our frontline crews in danger, damages expensive vehicles and causes serious delays to residents’ collections. 

“We are calling on residents, councils and the government to take this issue seriously. Through our Dispose Safe campaign, we are showing that prevention is simple: do not bin it, recycle it safely. Together, we can stop these fires before they start.”

Cllr Shafi Ahmed, cabinet member for environment and climate emergency, said: “Our refuse crews have been placed in real danger by fires started from something as small as a vape battery. These fires are frightening, unpredictable and completely avoidable. They not only threaten the safety of our staff but also lead to missed collections and major service delays for residents when trucks are damaged or taken out of service.

“We know campaigns like Charge Safe make a real difference. Dispose Safe continues that work with a practical, visual tool that any council can use to educate residents about the risks and prevent dangerous fires.

“Local authorities are on the frontline of this issue; we need national coordination and proper support to protect waste crews and keep essential services running safely.”

The Dispose Safe campaign follows the success of Tower Hamlets’ previous Charge Safe initiative, run in partnership with the London Fire Brigade's #ChargeSafe campaign, which raised awareness of safe e-bike and e-scooter charging. That campaign was widely praised for improving public awareness and has since been adopted by other councils.  

How residents can Dispose Safe

Residents are urged to:

• Never put batteries, vapes or electricals in household bins or recycling sacks.
• Use battery recycling bins in supermarkets and electrical retailers.
• Take larger batteries, such as e-bike or e-scooter packs, to a local recycling centre.
• If a battery is swollen, leaking or overheating, store it outside in a plastic container until it can be recycled safely.

The London Fire Brigade has warned of the growing number of fires linked to lithium-ion batteries. Tower Hamlets’ Dispose Safe campaign supports their efforts and calls for a national recycling strategy, clearer labelling and disposal advice, and better collection infrastructure so residents can recycle safely and easily. 

London Fire Brigade deputy assistant commissioner for prevention and protection, Richard Field, said: “Lithium-ion battery fires are a major risk and we are attending fires regularly involving waste in bin lorries, including in Tower Hamlets. We’ve also attended significant fires at waste disposal sites across the capital, which we suspect are caused by lithium-ion batteries.

“These fires can be very time consuming for our firefighters and often require a high level of resources to extinguish. We’ve also seen the detrimental environmental and societal impact these fires can have on local communities."

“We urge people to check with the retailer or your local authority's website for the safest way to dispose of lithium-ion batteries in your area and reduce the risk of fires occurring.”

The council urges residents and partners to support Dispose Safe and help prevent dangerous waste fires through simple, safe battery disposal. 
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/dispose-safe