West Devon Borough Council and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service are urging West Devon residents not to throw away items containing lithium-ion batteries, following a rise in fires linked to damaged batteries.

To highlight the risks to firefighters and waste workers, the Lead Member for Waste and Recycling at WestDevon Borough Council, Cllr Jeff Moody, visited Tavistock’s waste depot to see firsthand the challenges caused by incorrectly disposed battery-powered items.

During the Tavistock visit, Cllr Jeff Moody met operational staff to understand how wrongly disposed batteries cause fires, damage equipment, and halt recycling.

Cllr Moody said: "Seeing the teams in action brought home how serious this issue is. A single battery in the wrong bin can put lives at risk, disrupt essential services, and harm the environment. By taking simple steps to dispose of batteries and electrical items correctly, residents across Devon can make a real difference."

Lithium-ion batteries are found in everyday items such as vapes, phones, laptops, e-scooters and bikes, and children’s toys. When thrown in general waste, they can be crushed or punctured during collection.

This damage can cause short-circuiting and overheating, triggering thermal runaway - a chain reaction where a battery releases energy uncontrollably, resulting in fires that burn at extremely high temperatures. Fires from batteries have been recorded inside collection lorries and at recycling and waste centres.

The borough council has reminded residents to avoid placing electrical items or loose batteries in general waste bins, use designated battery recycling points available in many supermarkets, take unwanted electrical items to local recycling centres and follow local council guidance on small electrical collections where available.

Most lithium-ion batteries are found in items that are rechargeable, charged with a USB cable or charging plug and designed to be used without being plugged in all the time.