A recycling truck caught fire in Tower Hamlets, London, forcing it to dump two tons of waste.
The fire started near the Bancroft Estate. It was around 9 AM on March 3rd. Flames shot out of the second bin they emptied. The crew had just emptied another bin, a 1280L metal bin.
They found broken electric bike batteries. The batteries caused the fire. Someone didn’t recycle them correctly, yikes! Firefighters showed up to put out the fire.
The batteries kept smoldering, though. The fire crew told the driver to dump the stuff so they could fully extinguish it. No one got hurt, thankfully. The truck only had minor damage.
A council member said fires like this happen often. He wants people to dispose of batteries properly. Use Northumberland Wharf! Use your local Idea Store, too!
Batteries need special recycling. This includes those from e-bikes, e-scooters, phones, and even car batteries. You can take them to recycling centers. Shops selling lots of batteries must offer recycling; many big shops have collection points.
You can recycle household batteries, too. Small lithium batteries are included. Things like phone and vape batteries need to be in special containers. Tower Hamlets has these containers at Idea Stores and libraries.