Disposable vapes cause bin lorry fire
The message to residents is DO NOT place vapes in your kerbside bins following a fire in an Eastleigh Borough Council bin lorry caused by discarded vapes according to the fire brigade who attended the scene.
The bin lorry was emptying waste bins in Bursledon when the fire was noticed by the crew. Two fire engines attended the incident that resulted in the waste load being emptied onto the road to allow the fire brigade to dampen the contents. Thankfully no one was injured.
The incident highlights the fact that vapes or e-cigarettes should not be placed in any of your kerbside bins as they contain batteries and the items cannot be recycled through Hampshire facilities. Residents should check the manufacturers recommendation for disposal and whether the retailer offers a take back scheme to recycle the item.
If not, you should,
Rechargeable of refillable vapes
- Remove the battery from rechargeable of refillable vapes safely if able to do so and place in a battery recycling bin
- Take the remainder of the vape to a small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) outlet or place into your domestic waste bin
Disposable Vapes
- DO NOT take disposable vapes apart, or attempt to remove the batteries from disposable vapes.
- If unable to remove the battery then take the whole item to a small WEEE recycling location, such as the Household Waste Recycling Centre. DO NOT place the item into your domestic waste bin.