Fires at UK recycling centres are increasing and are costing an estimated £1 billion per year, according to new figures reported by multiple outlets. The Environment Services Association (ESA) says there are more than 10 battery-related fires each week, with lithium-ion batteries—often from wrongly discarded items such as vapes—being frequently implicated.
The ESA reports 1,518 fires in the year to March 2026, with 541 attributed directly to lithium-ion batteries and a further 216 linked to fires in bin lorries. It says the true scale may be higher because in many incidents the cause cannot be confirmed. The London Evening Standard focuses on expert views that blame soaring incidents on vape batteries and highlights the proposal for a £5 deposit scheme. The Guardian and other reporting attribute significant cost growth to these battery fires, citing that annual costs have risen sharply from earlier estimates.
All outlets describe concerns among fire and waste experts that improperly disposed lithium batteries create safety risks at waste facilities, and they point to policy measures—such as deposit or return schemes—as potential steps to improve disposal.
