New figures from waste management company Biffa reveal that more than 840,000 vapes were discovered at just four of its waste sites – in Teesside, Walsall, Ipswich and North London – between June and September 2025.
That equates to over 7,000 discarded vapes every single day, sparking fresh warnings about the growing fire risk posed by lithium-ion batteries being thrown into household waste and recycling bins.
The data, shared with Electrical Safety First, has prompted both organisations to issue a stark Halloween warning about the dangers of these “zombie batteries” that can “come back from the dead” in fiery fashion if crushed, punctured or damaged.
A growing fire hazard
Since June, Biffa has recorded more than 180 fires across its UK operations linked to batteries, many of them from vapes.
Lithium-ion cells, when damaged, can enter a process called thermal runaway, rapidly heating to extreme temperatures and igniting nearby materials.
According to Biffa, the number of vapes being discovered has risen sharply since the summer’s disposable vape ban, with nearly 20,000 more vapes found across the four key sites in August and September compared to June and July.
Biffa warned this upward trend could bring a frightening increase in fires across the waste sector, putting workers, infrastructure and the environment at serious risk.
Luke Walter, Manager of Biffa’s Aldridge materials recovery facility in Walsall, witnessed the devastation caused by one such incident earlier this year, which left the site out of action for six months.
He commented: “The fire here in January was particularly devastating. The most important thing is that everyone went home safe and well but, understandably, the immediate concern was job security.
“The site is now fully operational again, and while we remain hyper-vigilant about fire risks, the danger will persist as long as batteries – lithium-ion or alkaline – hidden in small electrical devices such as vapes continue to be placed in general waste and recycling bins.”
In September 2025, the Environmental Services Association (ESA) also issued a stark warning that battery fires in the UK’s waste sector have reached “epidemic levels”, calling for urgent reform to mandate universal kerbside collections for waste batteries and small electricals.
Disposing of vapes correctly
The issue isn’t confined to vapes alone. Electrical Safety First warned that battery-powered Halloween decorations, light-up costumes and novelty gadgets could also turn into fire hazards if binned incorrectly.
Giuseppe Capanna, Product Safety Engineer at the charity, said: “Incorrectly disposing of a vape in the general household waste or recycling can have very real and frightening consequences for waste collection workers who are just trying to do their job.
“Vapes contain lithium-ion batteries, and if these batteries are thrown away incorrectly, they risk coming back to life in gruesome fashion by exploding and causing ferocious fires that put workers at risk.
“Every individual household can help turn the tide on this issue one action at a time. We urge all households to stop, think, and don’t bin the battery.”
Both organisations have urged consumers to follow these steps to keep batteries out of the bin this Halloween and beyond:
- Recycle vapes in-store: All UK retailers that sell vapes are required to take back old ones for recycling
- Use your local recycling centre: Many household waste sites have facilities for electricals and batteries. If your product has a removable battery, recycle it separately
- Find your nearest drop-off point: Visit recycleyourelectricals.org.uk to locate a nearby recycling facility equipped to handle batteries
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