Quick-thinking crews at SUEZ have recently tackled two dangerous fire incidents in Somerset – one at a Material Recycling Facility (MRF), the other within a collection vehicle – sparking a plea, shared by Somerset Council, for members of the public to dispose of, or recycle, dangerous items – such as batteries and gas canisters, correctly and responsibly.
Misplaced dangerous items such as household and lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, vapes, and gas canisters all pose a significant risk in various stages of the collection and recycling process – with damaged batteries likely to spontaneously combust and frequent fires from gas canisters exploding on recycling sorting lines.
Danger arises when items from home are incorrectly placed for collection in the rubbish or in the wrong recycling bags and boxes – resulting in them going undetected or setting fire inside recycling machinery and vehicles. Other items should not be put out for recycling collection at all – such as gas canisters that can sometimes be mistaken for aerosol cans – these should be taken to a Recycling Site.
At the Taunton MRF, SUEZ staff responded quickly to a fire involving a skip, using a forklift truck to move it into the open so that fire crews could deal with it safely. Their prompt action helped reduce the risk to people on site and limit damage.
In a separate incident, a collection crew noticed smoke coming from the rear of their vehicle. After calling emergency services, they safely tipped the burning load onto the roadside, where it was extinguished and cleared. Their quick response helped prevent the situation from becoming more serious.
The likely cause in both cases was an undetected battery.
Matthew Canning, SUEZ Contract Director for Somerset said:
Unfortunately, far too many dangerous items are ending up in the wrong places at our material recycling facilities. Gas canisters have the potential to explode when put under pressure, and damaged batteries can simply combust, which results in fires in our trucks and site machinery. This could cause major infrastructure damage or worse still, fatal or life changing injuries to colleagues. In Somerset we are great at recycling so keep up the good work you are doing, but please make sure that dangerous items are recycled safely, by following Somerset Council guidance.
Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, Lead Member for Communities, Environment and Climate Change at Somerset Council said:
I’d like to thank the crews who acted so quickly and professionally in these incidents. Fires caused by misplaced batteries, vapes and gas canisters put people, vehicles and recycling facilities at real risk. We’re asking residents to please take extra care and follow the guidance on our website, so these items are disposed of safely and correctly.
Batteries and vapes should never be put in the rubbish bin. The Somerset Council website offers clear guidance on how to recycle batteries and vapes from home by separating them and placing them in small, clear tied plastic bags and leaving on top of one of the recycling bins so they are easy for collection crews to spot.
