Did you know that crushed batteries cause hundreds of fires every year in UK recycling centres, as well as bin and recycling lorries? So it’s really important that we do battery recycling by disposing and recycling our batteries responsibly. This year has been incidents of fires in Ealing waste trucks and waste sorting centres around the Ealing. Find out where to recycle your batteries and what happens to our waste in Ealing.
When the trucks are smoking they have to empty their waste contents onto the road to stop the whole truck going on fire. All this is because we are not disposing of batteries responsibly. If a fire or smoke appears at waste sorting centres they have to stop the sorting line. So that delays the whole chain and rubbish starts to pile up.
It is scary stuff! Especially when you consider there are batteries hidden in lots of common household electrical. Items such as kids toys, alarm clocks, vapes and electric toothbrushes have batteries. All have hidden batteries, sometimes called zombie batteries – can potentially cause a fire if they’re crushed in a lorry.
Ealing Waste Transfer Site visit
A group of local Ealing residents went to visit the Ruislip waste processing site in July 2023. Volunteers from local groups like ActForEaling partners such as LagerCan and Ealing Repair cafe went along. At the site we could see what happens to our waste once its collected into the lorries. When asking the Operations manager of Ruislip site, we asked what should we encourage the everyone to do that would help them:
Please encourage them to not put the batteries into the black wheelie bin. These cause fires regularly. Battery recycling is easy, as most supermarkets and electrical retailers have a collection bin for batteries.
At this waste transfer site in Ruislip, waste from both Harrow and Ealing is tipped from the refuse truck into a pit. It is then packed by cranes and loaded into sealed containers. Each container holds about 12 tonnes of waste. These containers are then loaded on to railway wagons. There is enough room on the railway wagons for 78 full containers – creating a train the length of 26 rail carriages.
Not long ago, there was so much waste that 11 trains of waste left the sites each week. Now, thanks to you reducing waste, reusing materials, and recycling, this has been reduced to 5 trains per week and is still falling. For more information from West London Waste Authority on Where our waste goes.
Responsible battery recycling
This hoard of Zombie Batteries are causing chaos in waste management and recycling facilities, causing explosions and fires which can endanger lives. The only way to prevent fires like this and keep crews safe is to never put electricals in the bin or in your regular recycling. Recycle them separately instead.
Drop off your electricals in one of the many places around Ealing. Visit Recycle your electricals for more information.
Research conducted by Recycle Your Electricals amongst local authorities across the UK has identified that over 600 fires in waste trucks and sites are caused by batteries that haven’t been removed from electricals.
Any rechargeable item, including your old electric toothbrush has a battery hidden within. Always recycle these separately from your other household waste and recycling.
Help protect our Ealing waste workers by never throwing electricals in the bin. Always consider Reuse first and if it cant be repaired, please recycle.
Small electrical items
There is lots of options to recycle your small electrical items:
- Recycling Centres: Book an appointment and take your items to the local Greenford or Abbey Road recycling centre or any recycling centre in West London Waste Authority
- Free doorstep collection: Book a free collection through TRAID who collects clothes and allows a small bag of small electricals with each collection. Visit TRAID free home collections for more information.
- Acton Market: Traid also has a monthly collection at Acton Market Reduce and Recycle collection.
- Doorstep bulky waste collection: If you have large items that you want to get rid of, you can arrange a bulky waste collection available to Ealing residents is £48.00 for a collection of up to 8 bulky items from outside your property.
Lets make Ealing Green
Take look at ActforEaling 10 steps for a greener Ealing and subscribe for our weekly ActForEaling email.