Biffa has issued an alert to the British public about the dangers of putting disposable barbecues and used coals in bins, following a rise in the number of fires being reported in collection vehicles and depots.
Biffa says that as lockdown restrictions have been eased more in recent weeks it has seen an increase in dangerous incidents involving fires in collection vehicles and at waste depots.
Disposable barbecues have been blamed for a number of incidents in waste vehicles and depots
“These fires not only damage property, but puts refuse workers and the public at risk while also adding increased pressure to our emergency services at an already challenging time,” the waste management firm said.
Disposal
The warning from Biffa said that disposable barbecues and hot coals can take up to 48 hours to fully cool so the public “need to ensure they are left for that period or are cooled by soaking them in water”.
Once cold, they can be disposed of in the general waste.
Paul Wright, group health and safety director at Biffa, said: “It’s great that most people now have the opportunity to meet family and friends and enjoy the sun outdoors, but with more of us barbecuing, it is absolutely essential that everyone applies due care and attention to the safe disposal of barbecues and coals in bins making sure that they are properly cooled and free from heat.
“I urge members of the public to dispose of all hazardous items correctly, including lithium batteries and aerosols and by doing this we can avoid putting both people and property at risk.”
Lithium batteries
Biffa added in its warning that lithium batteries, marine flares and aerosols are also considered hazardous waste and can be extremely dangerous if not disposed of correctly.
“Simple steps to correctly dispose of household waste is all that is required to prevent these incidents”
Lithium batteries, commonly used for portable electronics, can explode if collected with general household waste or recycling due to crushing, “putting the driver’s life at risk as well as causing significant damage to the collection vehicle”.
Mark Andrews, National Fire Chiefs Council waste and recycling lead, said: “We urge people to take care when using and disposing of portable barbecues. We have seen first-hand the devastation these can cause when they start fires in our countryside and increasingly, we hear of incidents at waste centres.
“These preventable fires can be very large scale and protracted, requiring regional and national support to deal with. Simple steps to correctly dispose of household waste is all that is required to prevent these incidents and the detrimental impact they have on Fire Services and local communities.”
Biffa also published the below best practice advice for disposing of flammable items.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
