A leading waste management company has called on the government to address the growing fire risks posed by improperly disposed vapes, which have caused hundreds of fires and significant public safety concerns.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK has reported over 500 suspected vape-related fires in the past year, citing the improper disposal of lithium-ion batteries in vapes as a major safety hazard. Fires have occurred in garbage trucks and waste processing centers, with some incidents requiring extensive fire and rescue responses. 📺 DETAIL: The company said lithium-ion batteries inside vapes are increasingly igniting, accounting for around 80 percent of its reported fires, with 144 battery and vape-related incidents recorded in the first half of 2026. SUEZ warned that fires have forced waste crews to dump burning loads onto public roads and caused major blazes at recycling sites, including a recent incident involving hundreds of tons of cardboard. The company estimates that around 6.3 million vapes and pods are still discarded every week across the United Kingdom and argues rechargeable devices pose an even greater fire risk because of their larger batteries. SUEZ has urged the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to launch a nationwide public awareness campaign, introduce a deposit return scheme for vapes, and step up enforcement against retailers selling illegal products. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue backed the proposals, warning that lithium-ion batteries have become one of the leading causes of fires in the region and pose a significant risk to public safety and essential services. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “Vapes pose a ludicrous level of risk to human life, to very expensive facilities and the communities that sit around them.” – Dr. Adam Read, Chief Sustainability Officer at SUEZ |
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