Help us prevent fires: dispose of flammable items safely

Fires in bin collection vehicles and waste facilities are often caused by items that should never be placed in household bins. These include household batteries, disposable barbecues, nitrous oxide cylinders, and small electricals containing lithium-ion batteries, such as rechargeable vapes and e-cigarettes.

When these items are crushed under the weight of other waste in collection trucks, they can ignite rapidly, posing serious risks to our crews, the public, and the environment.

What you can do

To help keep everybody safe:

• Batteries: please do not place any type of battery in your household bin. Instead, present them separately in a small plastic bag on bin day. The crew will collect them safely and store them away from other waste.
• Nitrous oxide cylinders: if you spot discarded cylinders on the street, do not touch or move them. These items are highly explosive. Please report them to the street cleaning team for safe removal.
• Disposable barbecues: these can remain hot long after use. Ensure they are completely cool before placing them in your rubbish bin.

For more information on how to safely dispose of electricals and batteries, please visit our electricals and batteries page.