Nationwide kerbside collection of waste electrical equipment and batteries could prevent hundreds of fires every year and boost recycling levels, a report has found.
Environmental research specialists Eunomia found that blazes in the waste sector cost £1bn annually, with a soaring number caused by energy-storage cells that had been incorrectly disposed of.
Meanwhile just 100 of almost 400 local authorities in the UK offer a kerbside collection service for small mixed waste electricals (SMWE) such as old mobile phones and powered toothbrushes, according to the report.
The study, commissioned by the Environmental Services Association (ESA), calculated net benefits of £5.7bn from broadening this service to include portable batteries and rolling it out nationwide.
“The primary driver of the benefits is the substantial cost savings from reducing fire-related expenses,” said the report.
It added that “extended producer responsibility can help fund the change and ongoing operations, including communications”.
Meanwhile Eunomia noted that “the more SMWE diverted to recycling, the more local authorities can reduce their disposal costs” and added that “reprocessors and recyclers make profit from sale of sorted and recycled materials”.
ESA chairman Michael Topham said: “The UK is facing a growing epidemic of battery-related waste fires which threatens lives, vital infrastructure and the environment. Eunomia’s report provides clear evidence of the huge benefits of implementing a nation-wide kerbside WEEE and battery recycling scheme.”
