Battery collections stopped after spate of fires

A council has ended kerbside battery collections after a series of fires linked to incorrect disposal.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council said batteries thrown into household bins were igniting and putting waste crews, facilities and residents at risk.

The authority said 11 fires linked to batteries had been recorded since January 2025.

To reduce the risk, the council ended its kerbside battery collection service on Monday.

Residents are instead being urged to use free drop-off points in shops and supermarkets or take batteries to council household recycling centres.

Cllr Andy Hadley, portfolio holder for climate response, environment and energy, said the fires posed "an unacceptable danger".

The council said batteries and items containing batteries, including vapes, should not be put in household rubbish or recycling bins.

It is working with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, which has warned that crushed or punctured batteries - particularly lithium-ion batteries - can ignite or explode when damaged in waste lorries.

Battery-related fires have also caused problems elsewhere in Dorset in recent years.

In December 2024, a refuse lorry near Bridport had to dump its load after crushed batteries caused a fire, while a similar incident in Wimborne in December last year was also believed to have been started by a damaged battery.

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