Vape menace in Bursledon bin lorry blaze
Pic: HIWFRS
The Borough Council is warning residents not to dispose of their used disposable vapes in kerbside bins after a council bin lorry caught fire in Eastleigh yesterday morning (July 17) .
The incident happened in Bursledon while a council operated bin lorry was emptying waste bins. It was during this routine operation that the crew noticed a fire break out in the lorry.
Hampshire and IOW Fire and Rescue Service swiftly responded to the scene, but in order to extinguish the fire, the waste load had to be emptied onto the road, creating a temporary disruption. It was determined that the cause of the fire was discarded disposable vapes that had been improperly disposed of in the bins.
Thankfully, no casualties were reported, but the message is clear: Kerbside bins are a ticking time bomb when it comes to vapes and e-cigarettes. Hampshire’s recycling facilities can’t handle the batteries within these often, unstable devices.
To ensure proper disposal, residents are advised to consult the manufacturers’ recommendations for disposal or inquire with retailers regarding any available take-back schemes for recycling. Failing that, the following guidelines should be followed:
- If possible, safely remove the battery from the vape and deposit it in a designated battery recycling bin.
- Dispose of the remaining components of the vape at a small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) outlet or place them in the domestic waste bin.
- It is crucial not to attempt dismantling disposable vapes or removing their batteries.
- If unable to remove the battery, residents should take the entire device to a small WEEE recycling location, such as the Household Waste Recycling Centre. Under no circumstances should the item be placed in the domestic waste bin.