Over 700 fires in trash trucks and sites have been linked to batteries that haven't been removed from electricals, according to research done by Material Focus among local authorities in the United Kingdom.
The study was commissioned to increase awareness of the "Stop Battery Fires Campaign" by Recycle Your Electricals, which aims to teach homeowners how to recycle their batteries and electricals.
That is the main finding of recent research by the non-profit organization Material Focus, which cautions that e-waste regulations are frequently broken, posing serious safety hazards and environmental impact.
This photo, taken on March 12, 2021, shows workers at a factory for Xinwangda Electric Vehicle Battery Co. Ltd, which makes lithium batteries for electric cars and other uses, in Nanjing in China's eastern Jiangsu province.
Battery-Related Fires Becomes Alarming
The study is a follow-up to the research of a similar nature carried out in 2021 by the Environmental Services Association (ESA) and Eunomia (per Business Green), which found that battery fires brought on 201 fires. Although the two studies utilized different research approaches, Material Focus said their findings suggest that battery-related fires may be far more common than previously thought.
According to the study's poll of 60 local authorities in the UK (per Circular Online), battery-related fires are becoming a bigger concern. Nearly 90% of these authorities agreed. According to the study's results, there are three times as many fires started by batteries in the waste stream as was previously thought.
According to Material Focus research, a quarter of households improperly dispose of batteries, with up to 45% of homeowners uninformed of the fire danger. 40% of homeowners need to be aware of any information about recycling batteries safely.
About Battery-Related Fires
The organization's campaign, in which more than 70 local governments reportedly took part, will spread the message "Never bin concealed batteries, or electricals, don't place them in your waste or recycling bins as they might later ignite fires in bin lorries on your street.
Instead, remove the batteries from the electricals and recycle the electricals and batteries separately. Always recycle your electricals separately if you can't get the batteries out.
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Ben Johnson of the Environmental Services Association told BBC News that more and more individuals are combining these batteries' gadgets with other recyclables or throwing away home items that contain them.
He added that this is a serious issue since, when damaged, they have the propensity to blow up or ignite.
The most common kind of rechargeable battery used in portable consumer devices is made up of two electrodes separated by a separator that permits charged particles, such as lithium ions, to go from one electrode to the other through a solvent.
The ions are pushed back to their starting point when the battery is recharged.
In general, batteries are relatively safe as long as they are confined and intact.
However, suppose the electrodes come into direct touch with one another. In that case, all the charged particles may abruptly discharge in an explosion, which, given that the battery's chemical composition is combustible, may swiftly result in a fire.
Additionally, batteries placed in regular trash or recycling are more likely to be crushed, compacted, squashed, or wet.
They may short-circuit as a result of it. Of course, they will also be among combustible materials like plastic, paper, and card, which might start fairly large flames.
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