Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are costing the UK more than £158m every year, according to a new report. The research produced by Eunomia and the Environmental Services Association suggests Li-ion batteries are responsible for almost half (48 per cent; around 200) of all waste fires that occur in the UK every year. Both the National Fire Chiefs Council and The Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (Wish) supported the research, which was published in January. Li-ion batteries are found in an increasing number of electrical household items such as mobile phones, electric toothbrushes and even greetings cards. These batteries cause a significant fire risk when they get into the residual and mixed recycling waste streams, either loose or within waste electrical items.
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