21/08/2026
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Does this look familiar?
It might be in a drawer or a box in the garage, shed or loft right now...
Old batteries. Wireless earbuds that stopped working. A power bank you haven't used in years. An old mobile phone you've been meaning to recycle. As well as mysterious cables!
Many everyday items contain lithium-ion batteries. When they're thrown away in general waste, they can be crushed during collection or processing and start fires.
Last year, there were more than 1,200 battery fires in UK bin lorries and waste facilities, a 71% increase on the previous year.
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Recycle loose batteries at supermarket or local battery collection points
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Take old phones, tablets, laptops, wireless earbuds and other electronics to your local household waste recycling centre
π« Never put batteries or battery-powered devices in your household bin, public bins or a skip
A few minutes sorting out unwanted batteries and devices can help protect waste crews, firefighters and your community.
What's the oldest battery-powered device you've still got at home?
