Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increase in battery-related fires in waste and recycling infrastructure between 2021 and 2024.

Defra has not carried out a formal assessment of any increase in battery-related fires in waste and recycling infrastructure between 2021 and 2024, or the impact of such fires on the safety of works in waste and recycling facilities. Fires in waste are a significant concern, and we remain engaged with industry, including waste disposal operators, on the issue.

The Government has already taken action to ban disposable vapes - one of the main ways in which lithium-ion batteries end up in general waste. We are also considering options for reform of the batteries regulations in the UK and are in the process of engaging further with industry and other stakeholders on those options.

The Health and Safety Executive sits on the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH) which has commissioned several pieces of research, in particular on ‘Reducing fire risk at waste management sites’ WASTE-28.pdf (see attached). WISH and the Environmental Services Association are also funding a PhD project to investigate improved methods to detect ‘hot spots’ where there is a build-up of heat deep within the waste, before a fire breaks out.