Key facts
- Fires at UK recycling centers caused by lithium batteries are costing an estimated £1 billion annually.
- Over 1,500 fires were reported at waste facilities in the year to March 2026.
- Lithium-ion batteries are suspected in up to 70% of recycling center fires.
- Vape batteries are identified as a significant contributor to these fires.
- The ESA is calling for a mandatory deposit scheme on vapes to promote safe disposal.
Fires at UK recycling centres, predominantly caused by improperly discarded lithium-ion batteries found in devices like vapes, smartphones, and toys, are escalating into a crisis. New figures from the Environment Services Association (ESA), the trade body for waste management companies, reveal that its members reported 1,518 fires in the year to March 2026. Of these, at least 541 were directly attributed to lithium-ion batteries, with an additional 216 occurring in bin lorries. The ESA estimates that batteries are responsible for up to 70% of all fires at recycling facilities, a significant increase from previous years. The annual cost associated with these blazes has surged from an estimated £150 million in 2021 to £1 billion today. Fire chiefs have expressed alarm at the frequency and intensity of these fires, which require substantial resources to control and can have detrimental environmental and societal impacts on local communities. Experts explain that when lithium batteries are damaged, internal short circuits can lead to rapid temperature increases and ignition. An experiment commissioned by the ESA demonstrated how a punctured vape battery could ignite surrounding paper and card, reaching temperatures over 750C. The ESA is urging policymakers and the public to adopt safer disposal methods for vapes and is advocating for a mandatory £5 deposit scheme on vape sales to incentivize their return for proper recycling.