Warning issued after ‘lithium battery’ causes fire at Wrexham recycling centre

A lithium battery is believed to have caused a fire at a household recycling centre in Wrexham last month.

Emergency services were called to the blaze on Bryn Lane, on the Wrexham Industrial Estate on 18 March.

Three crews from Wrexham, one crew from Johnstown, one crew from Deeside and one crew from Chirk were called to the incident, which was contained to one area of the recycling site.

The blaze is believed to have been caused by a lithium battery.

Wrexham Council is now urging people who vape to make sure they dispose of them correctly and safely following the fire.

Lithium batteries are often found in electrical items such as vapes.

According to Recycle Your Electricals in the UK, half of single-use vapes get thrown in the bin (over five million per-week).

Anything with a plug, battery or cable which isn’t recycled correctly carries a risk to people and buildings, so make sure you never put these items in the bin.

Vapes can be accepted as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and can be disposed of in the Small Domestic Appliances (SDA) container at all of the household recycling centres in Wrexham.

A number of shops and supermarkets that sell vapes will also let you return them and recycle them for you. Take a look at Recycle Your Electricals’ recycling locator and type in ‘vapes’ to see where you can dispose of them.

Cllr Terry Evans, Lead Member for Environment, said: “You should never put either single-use or rechargeable vapes in any waste bins or kerbside recycling containers, and if you do so you’ll be putting people at risk.

“It can cause fires to break out if they get crushed or damaged in bin lorries or at the recycling centres, creating potentially dangerous situations.”

What to do with batteries

You can recycle all types of batteries at the three recycling centres in Wrexham – even car batteries!

Everyday household batteries can often be recycled in many major supermarkets and local shops.

Gas canisters

Gas canisters are potentially hazardous and should never be put in your rubbish bin. If you have one it’s best to check with the company you bought it from as they should be able to refill or dispose of it for you.

The smaller non-refillable gas bottle canisters (used for small cooking heaters) can be recycled with plastics and cans at kerbside only if they have no fluid or gas inside.

If they do have anything left in them you will need to take them to either Plas Madoc or Brymbo (The Lodge) recycling centre.

Nitrous oxide canisters

If you have a nitrous oxide canister take it to either Plas Madoc or Brymbo (The Lodge) recycling centre.

For further information about recycling in Wrexham, please visit wrexham.gov.uk/recycling