Major metal recycler S. Norton Group is calling on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to improve the risk of fire within the recycling sector by improving battery recycling.
Defra is due to draft a comprehensive UK Battery Strategy which will play an essential role in meeting net zero targets and support economic growth.
To support the strategy, S. Norton Group has called for clear and specific recycling targets for each of the battery types that it believes will help reduce the risk of fire.
The Environmental Services Association estimates that lithium-ion batteries are responsible for approximately 50% of waste fires in the UK each year, as a result of being hidden within the waste stream.
It is believed that 45% of all batteries placed on the market each year are recycled, with no distinction between different types of batteries. As lead-acid batteries are easy to recycle and have inherent material value, they account for over 70% of recycling despite representing only 3% of portable batteries on the market.
Setting specific targets for the various battery types would encourage the separation and recycling of all batteries including lithium-ion, resulting in improved collection rates and higher safety standards.
Additional funds generated could be used to develop the much-needed infrastructure and communication.
S. Norton Group head of technical development Richard McKinley said: “Current UK regulations include targets which are not robust enough.
“They do not specify how the target is achieved, leading to a focus on recycling lead-acid batteries, rather than the more problematic lithium-ion batteries.
“There is no incentive to recycle highly flammable lithium-ion batteries and there are very few outlets for them.
“This means there is not enough focus on systematically removing, collecting and recycling batteries from items such as waste electricals and the batteries can find their way into other waste streams, creating a high risk of fires across the recycling industry.”
S. Norton Group managing director Tony Hayer added: “We have invested heavily in measures to minimise the risk of incidents caused by lithium-ion battery fires.
“We manually sort through every load of waste before it is accepted across our sites, we work closely with the fire service to make sure our fire procedures are the best they can be, and we install the best-in-class fire-fighting equipment as we continue to invest in our sites.
“However, tougher regulation is needed to force change in the industry and the supply chain, to ensure that batteries are separated, collected, and disposed of correctly.
“If this 45% recycling target is applied to each battery category, it will lead to a tightening of the manufacturer compliance schemes that will help to keep lithium-ion batteries out of the waste stream and ultimately result in a safer environment for all.”
