The call comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged retailers to stop selling disposable barbecues amid a period of extreme heat and heightened wildfire risk.
CIWM said it welcomed the Government’s intervention but argued that a temporary measure does not go far enough.
“There can be fewer products where the case for a quick and outright ban is stronger,” the organisation said, calling on the Government to ban disposable barbecues and for retailers and consumers to stop selling and using them.
Temporary ban on disposable BBQs
The Government has currently issued a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues in Great Britain, citing the “significant risk” they pose to the public during the current heatwave and drought conditions.
The guidance says disposable barbecues have been responsible for a number of serious wildfires over the summer and cannot be considered safe in the prevailing conditions. Retailers have been told that they must not make them available for sale either in stores or online.
Burnham has also indicated that he is considering a longer-term approach, including the possibility of restrictions on disposable barbecues every summer.
The Prime Minister’s call has been backed by Keep Britain Tidy, which said disposable barbecues can reach temperatures of around 290°C and take approximately six hours to cool down.
Andrea Crump, Chief Operating Officer at Keep Britain Tidy, said the products had “no place” in the natural environment and could cause devastating consequences for grassland, woodland and heathland during hot, dry weather.
Crump added: “The current record temperatures and summer holidays are the perfect storm – dry, sunny days and lighter evenings mean many more people are using our green spaces to relax and socialise so, sadly, we therefore see increased littering and irresponsible dumping of these dangerous items.”
Difficulties with disposing
CIWM said that, despite being marketed as disposable, the barbecues can be difficult and dangerous to dispose of.
Unless they are thoroughly doused with water or allowed several hours to cool, residual heat and smouldering charcoal can potentially cause fires in bins, collection vehicles and waste facilities.
The problem does not end when the barbecue has been extinguished. CIWM said many are abandoned as litter, leaving behind hot charcoal and metal grates with sharp edges. Others are buried in sand, where smouldering coals can remain a burn risk for people using beaches.
Disposable barbecues can also scorch grass and leave burnt patches in parks and gardens even when they do not start a wider fire.
A 2022 Keep Britain Tidy survey of 104 local authorities found that 83% said disposable barbecues caused significant issues for them, while 87% wanted Government intervention to help tackle the problem.
CIWM also argued that a single-use product combining charcoal, chemical fire starters, metal and packaging was difficult to reconcile with a move towards a more circular economy.
The institution said voluntary guidelines from the British Retail Consortium were insufficient, pointing to retailers including Aldi and Waitrose that have already stopped selling disposable barbecues while others continue to stock them.
With the Government now taking temporary action over the immediate fire risk, CIWM is pressing for the measure to become permanent.
The institution said disposable barbecues should no longer be treated as a normal throwaway product, arguing that their fire, litter and waste-disposal risks make a permanent ban the more appropriate response.
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