By Local Democracy Reporter Peter Davison
A fire at a Warminster recycling centre that threw flumes of thick black smoke over the town could have been caused by a disposable vape, officials have confirmed.
The fire broke out at the recycling centre in Furnax Lane, Warminster on Monday 1st June – a year to the day since single-use vapes were banned.
Fire crews from Warminster and Westbury were dispatched to tackle the blaze, while locals were advised to close doors and windows as thick black smoke enveloped the Bath Road area of the town.
Fire crews were on the scene for over an hour.
Wiltshire Council said the skip fire was caused by a “small battery or vape.”
The incident happened in the same week as the Local Government Association – the body that represents local councils – urged the government to close a loophole in the single-use vapes ban, which it says was causing fires at recycling centres.
It said that although vape waste has fallen since the ban on single-use vapes was introduced, around six million units are still discarded each year, contributing to a rise in bin lorry, recycling centre and waste facility fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, chair of the Local Government Association’s health and wellbeing committee, said, “Councils are bearing the cost of contaminated recycling and dangerous fires, with residents ultimately paying through council tax instead of producers and retailers.”
Cllr Paul Sample, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for environment, said, “Vapes can pose a very real fire risk if they’re not disposed of properly.
“Every vape contains a lithium-ion battery. When these are thrown into general waste or recycling bins, they can be crushed during collection or processing, which can cause them to ignite.
“This puts our crews, our facilities and the public at serious risk.
“This message is especially important right now, following a fire at our Warminster Household Recycling Centre, which we believe was caused by a small battery or vape.
“Incidents like this highlight just how dangerous incorrect disposal can be and the very real impact it has on our services and staff.”
He advised, “Vapes should never be put in any bin including your household waste and recycling bins.
“Instead, residents should use our small electricals collections to dispose of items like vapes safely.
“Where possible, batteries should be removed and placed in a separate plastic bag on top of the bin lid, with the electrical item left alongside for collection.
“This helps our crews handle them safely and reduces the risk of fires.
“They can also be taken to a household recycling centre and placed in a designated battery recycling point or returned to a retailer that sells them.
“These options are widely available and are the safe, responsible way to dispose of them.”
