The Environmental Services Association (ESA) has issued a stark warning over what it describes as a “billion-pound-a-year problem” caused by fires linked to the improper disposal of batteries.
In a policy briefing published this week (Monday 15 September 2025), the ESA set out the scale of the challenge and outlined measures it says are urgently needed to prevent the situation worsening.
According to the briefing, six billion batteries were discarded across the UK last year — equivalent to around 3,000 every minute. More than 1.1 billion of these were left inside electrical products such as toothbrushes, razors, mobile phones and vapes.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) recorded over 1,200 battery-related fires in waste facilities or collection vehicles between 2023 and 2024 — a 71% rise on the previous year. Costs associated with such fires have also soared, from £150 million annually in 2021 to over £1 billion today.
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The risks posed by carelessly discarded batteries are best addressed at the point of disposal. This requires an urgent systemic shift in the post-consumer management of batteries…
Jacob Hayler, Executive Director of the ESA, said: “Waste fires caused by batteries not only endanger the lives of people working in essential frontline services but also destroy vital infrastructure; threaten the natural environment and undermine the vitality and viability of businesses involved in the UK’s circular economy – placing jobs and future investment at risk.”
Public awareness remains low. A YouGov poll in 2023 found that nearly a fifth of UK consumers admitted to putting batteries in household waste, while a separate Yonder survey revealed most people do not feel confident about safe disposal.
The ESA argues that the current collection system for waste batteries and small electricals is “clearly inadequate.” Hayler said reform should be focused on the point of disposal:
“ESA members have invested millions in safety measures to mitigate battery fires and limit the potential for damage, but the risks posed by carelessly discarded batteries are best addressed at the point of disposal. This requires an urgent systemic shift in the post-consumer management of batteries and devices containing them, driven by new policy and regulation.”
The briefing calls on government to implement universal, producer-funded kerbside collections for batteries and small electrical devices across England. Hayler said such a change would “make it easier for consumers to dispose of these items correctly,” increase recycling rates and help reduce fire risk.