Biffa MRFs see record vape numbers as waste fires surge across sector

The waste management company estimated that a record-breaking 480,000 vapes went through four of its busiest facilities during June and July.

This is 32,500 vapes more than the closest highest month in August/September 2025.

The vapes, which should have been deposited in e-waste recycling bins, had been incorrectly disposed of in recycling streams.

James Wallace, Group Fire Safety Manager at Biffa, said: “Analysis of samples from four of our busiest MRFs shows an estimated 480,000 vapes entered those facilities in June and July – the highest number we’ve ever recorded.

“That’s nearly half a million lithium-ion batteries, each presenting a potential fire risk if damaged.

“I’ve worked in fire safety for many years, and few challenges have escalated as quickly or as dangerously as the risks created by these incorrectly discarded vapes.

“Workers at MRFs, transfer stations and landfill sites, and those who drive and load bin lorries, are increasingly on the frontline of a fire crisis driven by vapes being thrown where they don’t belong – in the bin.”

The news comes as the industry has seen waste fires spike even more than usual in recent weeks due to the recurrent heatwaves.

On Tuesday, firefighters tackled a blaze involving around 200 tonnes of waste at a Biffa waste transfer station in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

Biffa said all employees at the waste transfer station were “quickly and safely evacuated” following the fire, with no injuries reported.

Aside from the Biffa fire, this week has also seen fires at sites in Milton Keynes, Corby, Glasgow, Essex and Dagenham in London. This is likely just a small number of the actual waste fires that occurred.

Last year, the Environmental Services Association (ESA) issued a stark warning that battery fires have reached “epidemic levels”.

In a policy briefing, the ESA called for urgent reform to mandate universal kerbside collections for waste batteries and small electricals.

Material Focus reported that more than 1,200 battery-related fires broke out in refuse vehicles and waste facilities during 2023/24 – a 71% increase on the previous year.

It is estimated that these incidents now cost the UK over £1 billion annually, threatening not only vital infrastructure but also the lives of frontline workers tasked with managing the nation’s waste.

Interested in learning more about vapes and waste fires? The letsrecycle.com Fire and Health & Safety Conference will be held in London on 21 October 2026. Find out more and buy tickets here.