Battery fires at recycling centres cost UK £1 billion annually

In the UK, fires at recycling centres caused by improperly discarded lithium batteries have surged, with over 1,500 incidents reported in the year leading up to March 2026. The Environment Services Association estimates that the financial impact of these fires has escalated dramatically, from £150 million in 2021 to £1 billion today, primarily due to the prevalence of lithium batteries in everyday items.