Glasgow bin lorry fires: 'Lives at risk' after series of Glasgow bin lorry fires linked to vape batteries

The GMB union said three fires had broken out in the back of a new fleet of bin lorries in Glasgow in the past fortnight. Subsequent inspections found the fires had been caused by the type of batteries found in vapes.

Chris Mitchell, a GMB convenor, said the situation had become “scary” and urgent action was needed to prevent similar fires from breaking out.

“Three in two weeks is very concerning,” he said. “The last fire was actually in the grounds of a school, which could have been disastrous. The guys acted very quickly, ejecting the load on to the street and calling the fire brigade.

“But the consequences are really serious and frightening. There’s a fear moving forward - is this going to happen again?”

Mr Mitchell said the brand new vehicles were introduced into the refuse collection service three weeks ago and replaced a 16-year-old fleet after a long-running campaign.

He said the crushing mechanism in the new fleet was significantly more powerful, which could be causing the batteries to ignite.

“The new vehicles are absolutely crushing everything, and in doing that we think it’s igniting them,” he said. “But we’re exploring every option and avenue.”

Lithium-ion batteries are found in several household items, including mobile phones, laptops and e-scooters, as well as vapes.

Guidance from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) states the batteries should never be placed in household waste, and must be disposed of properly at dedicated recycling points.

While the recent incidents have been dealt with quickly with no employees injured, Mr Mitchell said further fires must be prevented or the consequences could be disastrous.

“This could happen any time, and we’re very wary now,” he said. “People are going out to do their refuse collection, worried about whether it’s going to happen today.

“In Glasgow, we work in a lot of tight streets where there are cars and members of the public. God forbid there isn’t a major fire. People could lose their lives here.”

Mr Mitchell is urging Glasgow City Council to increase its efforts to boost awareness of how to dispose of the batteries safely.

“I want to see a more robust social media police on this, being very vocal with the public about the risks,” he said.

“I think it should be an ongoing campaign. It can’t just be a one-off post telling people to stop putting vapes in bins, which might be fine for a couple of days, before people just go back to what they were doing.

“They’ve got to make the consequences and the dangers clear. The consequences could be horrendous.”

He said the city council should lead the charge in a UK-wide campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of disposing of lithium batteries incorrectly. He said vape shops also had a responsibility to educate people about how to dispose of vapes after use.

“Maybe we need extra bins on the street too, like vape bins, for these types of batteries to go into,” he said. “More people are turning to these items, so there’s got to be a safe method of working.”

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “Batteries and other hazardous items going into household waste is a matter of great concern, both in Glasgow and throughout the waste industry in the UK as a whole.

“In recent years there have been many fires and other incidents at waste facilities across the country following the incorrect disposal of hazardous items, such as batteries, vapes, pressurised canisters and other electrical equipment.

“Residents should always recycle their hazardous waste at their local recycling centre. Household batteries can also be recycled in a wide range of places, such as supermarkets, retail outlets and other public buildings. Batteries should never be disposed of in a household bin.

“Putting batteries into household waste puts refuse collectors at risk, but can also disrupt the wider waste management system.

“In the recent Glasgow incidents, staff followed the correct safety procedures and this helped to minimise the impact of the incidents. We will continue to monitor this issue very closely to keep our staff and facilities as safe as possible.”

Cathy Barlow, the deputy head of prevention, protection and preparedness at SFRS, said: “Vapes typically contain lithium-ion batteries and are a fire risk if placed in a general household bin.

“They can be damaged or crushed during the waste removal process, leading to fires affecting bins, bin lorries or waste management sites. People using vapes should buy, charge and dispose of these products safely.

“Always buy from reputable retailers and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for storage, charging and maintenance of vapes, and always follow the recycling advice by local authorities on how to dispose of these items properly."