General · 22 August 2026
Thrown-away vapes and lithium batteries cost UK recycling centres £1bn a year
Illustration: AI-generated for editorial context. Not photographic evidence.
The waste industry trade body, the ESA, says these dangerous blazes now break out more than ten times a week. Devices regularly get crushed in bin lorries or sorting plants, which pierces the battery inside and sends temperatures soaring to 750C. To tackle the issue, the group is urging the government to introduce a £5 deposit so people safely return used items.
Reported by The Guardian · How we write briefs