The Hidden Danger in Your Bin: Why Batteries and Vapes Are Causing Fires Across the UK

Across the UK, skip hire and waste management companies are battling an increasing threat – Vapes containing batteries being thrown in with general rubbish and skips. It may sound harmless, and many people genuinely believe that they are doing the right thing by putting used vapes into bins or skips rather than littering. But this is dangerous misinformation.

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Batteries of all kinds, especially lithium batteries found in vapes, carry a serious risk. When thrown into household bins, skips, or even commercial waste instead of at a designated battery recycling point they can cause fires, explosions or smoke.

When the waste is tipped and sorted at a designated waste transfer station, the plant and equipment, such as loading shovels, push the waste up into bays ready for sorting, if vapes are caught with the shovel blade or scraped along the ground, these can cause sparks and ignite other waste.

Why Battery Disposal Matters

It might be hard to believe, but incorrectly disposing of batteries and electrical waste can impact entire communities. Imagine this: you throw a vape in a household bin. Later, its compacted inside a local bin lorry, the battery is crushed and then it ignites. The fire spreads quickly, putting the driver’s life at risk, blocking roads and causing congestion, as well as wasting emergency resources funded by taxpayers, all because of one small battery.

Or perhaps you toss a vape into a skip as you walk past. Once the skip is collected and tipped back at the yard, the battery sparks a fire. Within minutes, it spreads through the site, endangering workers, destroying equipment, and shutting down operations. Now these aren’t hypothetical scenarios. Fires caused by batteries and vapes are reported in the news every week. They destroy livelihoods, harm the environment, and cost companies and councils millions. Sadly, some of our trusted suppliers have experienced this firsthand, suffering major losses as a result of battery-related fires.

How FindASkip Can Help

At FindASkip, we make safe waste disposal simple, we offer:

• Dedicated skips and collection services for batteries, vapes and electrical waste (WEEE)
• Expert guidance on what can and can’t go in your skip
• Reliable nationwide service trusted by both households and businesses

By using FindASkip, you’re not only keeping the community safe, you’re ensuring that your waste is handled repsonsibly in line with environmental regulations.

If you’re ever unsure how to dispose of batteries or electrical items safely, our team at FindASkip can help. Simply call 0800 019 4530 to chat to a member of our team or visit our skip guide for advice on the do’s and don’ts. You can also find more guidance regarding recycling batteries and electrical waste here.