Horsham District Council is trialling two new collection points for used disposable vapes and batteries to encourage residents to dispose of these items more safely for recycling.
The two collection points are at The Pavilions Leisure Centre in Horsham and the Chanctonbury Leisure Centre in Storrington.
Batteries, vapes and small electricals can cause fires if disposed of in wheeled bins and have recently been a major cause of fires in our waste collection vehicles, meaning that whole loads of recycling have had to go to waste.
This is a trial for six months to provide an alternative service for recycling these items and to monitor usage.
Alternative ways to recycle vapes and batteries can be found here: www.horsham.gov.uk/recycling .
Additionally, a collection point has been created at the Council’s Parkside office reception area for unwanted mobile phones for recycling.
Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Environmental Health, Recycling and Waste Cllr Jay Mercer commented:
We have seen an increase in fires involving batteries and vapes in our waste collection vehicles over recent months.
Batteries and vapes are extremely hazardous when not disposed of properly. When they are thrown in household rubbish or recycling, they pose a potential risk to residents and our crew members and can result in significant damage to bin lorries and equipment.
We are fortunate that nobody has yet been injured as a result of these particular incidents. We urge residents to take extra care and use designated recycling points or collection schemes to dispose of used vapes and batteries safely.
Lithium-ion batteries found in mobile phones, vapes, and power packs on electric bikes or scooters have all caused fires in the back of local bin lorries.