The plea was made in a blog by Antonia Grey, BMRA’s head of policy and public affairs, published yesterday (14 October 2024) for International E-Waste Day and the start of national Recycle Week.
As accessing recycling locations is not always possible, the BMRA has “long since been calling” for kerbside collection for WEEE to “make is easier for householders to recycle”.
Grey said that the BMRA is in part reemphasising its calls given the increase in fires cause by lithium type batteries.
In August 2024, waste management company Veolia said that it is seeing an average of one fire a day due to WEEE such as vapes in residual waste streams.
Funding kerbside collection of WEEE
Currently only a very small number of UK local authorities in the UK offer WEEE collection on the kerbside.
Grey added: “In my opinion, and perhaps controversially, it is possibly time that the producers stepped up and became part of this solution. This includes to help pay for the cost to recycle the material they produce instead of local councils facing that burden of cost.
“Regulating our way out of this issue maybe a solution but I am not sure it is one we have the time to afford. We really need prompt action as it is not fair to expect the waste industry to bear the cost of solving the twin issues of WEEE leakage and battery fires on their own.”
International E-Waste Day has been organised by the WEEE Forum since 2018 and aims to bring awareness to the world’s fastest growing waste stream.
If you want to find out more about fire safety and prevention, make sure you attend the Fire Prevention and Control Conference 2024 in Birmingham on 13 November 2024. See the full agenda and book tickets here.
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