In Pictures: UK Recycling Centre Battery Fires Cost £1bn a Year, Exceed 10 per Week

Discarded lithium batteries are igniting intense fires inside UK recycling centres at a rate of more than 10 per week.

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Industry experts warn that the surge in battery fires is putting workers and firefighters at serious risk.

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Recycling centre fires now cost an estimated £1bn a year, up sharply from £150m in 2021.

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Wrongly discarded batteries in everyday items such as vapes and electronics are fuelling the crisis.

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Lithium batteries embedded in devices ranging from e-bikes to electric cars pose a hidden hazard in household waste.

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Batteries crushed in bin lorries and sorting facilities can spark fires that spread within seconds.

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Blazes caused by lithium batteries cause extensive damage to vehicles, equipment and recycling infrastructure.

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Firefighters are being called out to battery-related incidents more than ten times a week across the UK.

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The escalating toll of battery fires has prompted calls for urgent action on safe battery disposal.

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