LITHIUM-ION BATTERY WASTE FIRES COSTING UK OVER $200,000,000USD A YEAR

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Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are responsible for around 48% of all waste fires occurring in the UK each year, costing the UK economy some ￡158 million annually, according to new research conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting.

This new report produced jointly with the Environmental Services Association (ESA), entitled ‘Cutting Lithium-ion Battery Fires in the Waste Industry’, reveals that an estimated 201 waste fires caused by Li-ion batteries occur every year in the UK, with damaging consequences for both the environment and society.

The research was supported by a consortium of key stakeholders, including key supporters the Environment Agency (EA), the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and WISH (the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum). The research was sponsored by waste management companies CWM Environmental Ltd, SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd, Totus Environmental and Viridor Waste Ltd.

Li-ion batteries are found in an increasing number of electrical and electronic household items such as mobile phones and electric toothbrushes, and even items such as singing greetings cards, an issue often unknown to householders. These batteries cause a significant fire risk when they get into the residual and mixed recycling waste streams, either loose or inside waste electrical and electronic items (WEEE). When these batteries are punctured, damaged or are exposed to high temperatures during normal waste processing and sorting operations, they can ‘go off’, setting fire to dry, flammable waste and recycling around them.

With such waste fires burning for days, and sometimes even weeks and months, the environmental damage is extensive, with harmful greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere and water pollution caused by run-off from extinguishing the fires. Dealing with these fires also means extra work and risk to firefighters, as well as disruption to society through rail, retail and road closures due to smoke from the fires. Waste site operators also have to deal with significant material damage, business interruption and loss of recycling resources.

This problem is only set to get worse, with more and more Li-ion batteries placed onto the market each year. Of the 670 fires recorded by ESA waste management members across the UK in 2019-20, 38% were either recorded as caused by Li-ion batteries or ‘suspected’ to have been. This is higher than the percentages recorded in the previous three years by the body (21% in 2016-17, 25% in 2017-18 and 22% in 2018-19).

The problem of Li-ion battery waste fires is acknowledged across the relevant sectors, including the waste management, local government and fire service sectors. 97% of respondents to a survey carried out by Eunomia said that waste fires caused by Li-ion batteries were a problem, with 55% saying they were a significant problem.

Just under half of respondents stated that they had experienced at least one waste fire caused by Li-ion batteries in the past year, and 26% of respondents stated that more than half of waste fires they’d suffered were caused by the batteries.

To prevent these fires, Eunomia’s report presents a number of solutions to divert household batteries and small WEEE from the residual and mixed recycling waste streams to specifically designed disposal routes:

1. Ban the disposal of batteries and small WEEE in residual and mixed recycling waste to prevent this practice and increase the public’s awareness of correct disposal routes;
2. Encourage separate kerbside collection of batteries and small WEEE by local authorities, with costs covered by revised extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes; and
3. Investigate the role of a deposit return scheme (DRS) in supplementing retailer takeback for batteries and small WEEE.

Respondents to Eunomia’s survey were supportive of the above measures, with 66% backing separate kerbside collections for lithium-ion batteries, 65% supporting a DRS and 42% backing a ban on the disposal of these batteries in general waste.

Commenting on the research, Eunomia’s lead author of the report Sophie Crossette said: “The findings of this research highlight the significant financial burden Li-ion battery waste fires place on the waste sector and public sector services. To date, much of the focus on preventing waste fires has been on improved controls and infrastructure at waste sites. As this report suggests, we now need to focus on upstream interventions to divert batteries and WEEE products from the mixed waste stream to tackle this growing issue. If we don’t start to take action now, the increased use of Li-ion batteries, will only increase the cost and impact of Li-ion battery waste fires in the years to come.”

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Alison Pickering / Rob Cole Eunomia Research & Consulting

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Editor’s notes

1.    Mark Andrews, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Waste Fires Lead and Deputy Chief Fire Officer of West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The NFCC has been targeting the reduction of fires in waste sites for years and this research signals yet another crucial step in our understanding of the underlying causes of these often devasting incidents that can affect whole communities for days at a time. NFCC very much welcomes this study and we now want to work with the industry to find ways of avoiding Li-ion batteries ending up in the household waste system to help prevent these fires and reduce the impact on local communities, the environment and reduce risk to our firefighters in dealing with these fires when they happen.”

2.    Malcolm Lythgo, Head of Waste Regulation, Environment Agency (EA), said: “We have seen some serious fires at waste facilities in recent years, that are attributed to li-ion batteries. The number of Li-ion batteries being used is increasing and so the number getting into waste streams and causing unnecessary fires has continued to rise. We must consider what we need to do differently to manage this risk, and to secure safe and responsible recycling of these batteries. The EA welcomes this report’s review of the current situation, its exploration of approaches taken in other countries and a range of potential longer-term solutions.”

3.    Jacob Hayler, Executive Director, Environmental Services Association, said: “This timely research is really important in shining a light on Li-ion batteries which end up in the waste stream. Too many of these batteries are not separated correctly and end up at general recycling facilities. This has been the cause of many fires across the sector, which put employees and others at risk, pollute the local environment, require assistance from the fire service, and are incredibly costly to the recycling industry. ESA hopes that policy makers and politicians take notice of the report’s findings and help stamp out needless fires caused by Li-ion batteries.”

4.    Geoff Smallwood, WISH (Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum), said: “Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are already a serious problem for waste

management and recycling sites, and as society’s use of these batteries increases the situation has the potential to become even worse. There are measures waste site operators can take to reduce the risk, but none of these are completely effective. The underlying issue is the incorrect disposal of lithium-ion and other batteries into mixed and recycling waste streams by commercial entities and members of the public. Eunomia’s research is a valuable start to foster a dialogue aimed at tackling this issue at its source.”

5.    Tim Rotheray, Innovation and Regulation Director, Viridor, said: “The waste sector had identified lithium-ion batteries as the main cause of waste site fires, putting staff at risk and impacting on the significant investment in recycling infrastructure across the UK. Viridor is clear that the only way to prevent these fires is to prevent the batteries from coming to our sites in the first place, which is why we support Eunomia’s investigations into how best to do that. Lithium-ion batteries can be found in everything from very small items, such as eCigarettes, to children’s toys, toothbrushes, mobile phones, cameras and laptops. Their use in consumer products is increasing and this why Viridor and its local authority partners continue to ask the public not to add these to their recycling or their non- recyclable waste. Supermarkets and household waste recycling facilities have special battery collection points to ensure the safe disposal of batteries. We appreciate the public’s support in helping to keep our sites safe and also preventing unnecessary pressure on the resources of the UK’s fire services. We hope that Eunomia’s report will be the start of important conversations with policy makers and subsequent actions on this issue.”

 Notes on Eunomia

1.    Established in 2001, Eunomia Research & Consulting Ltd (‘Eunomia’) is a Bristol- based, independent consultancy dedicated to adding value to organisations through the delivery of improved outcomes. Eunomia has over 100 employees, with offices in Bristol, London, Manchester, Brussels, Athens, New York and Auckland. Working throughout the UK, other EU Member States and beyond, Eunomia’s consultants have experience and expertise in environmental, technical and commercial disciplines. Eunomia’s main service areas include:

• Waste management;
• Low carbon and renewable energy;
• Resource efficiency;
• Circular economy;
• Environmental economics and policy;
• Policy and programme evaluation;
• Marine planning;
• Sustainable future transport;
• Natural capital and ecosystem services; and
• Climate emergency strategy services.

2.    Eunomia is an appointed advisor to many types of organisations including central government, local and regional authorities, non-governmental organisations, charities, national utilities, health trusts, universities, global brands, manufacturers, retailers, waste management and technology companies, as well as global financial institutions.

3.    For more information about Eunomia, please visit www.eunomia.co.uk