Warning about disposable barbecues after lorry fire

Date published:  10 July 2026

Residents are being reminded not to put hot ashes or warm disposable barbecues in their black or green bins following a serious fire in a Wychavon collection vehicle.

The crew had to abandon their collection round and dump a load of on fire recycling on to the road so the flames could be tackled.

Hot ashes or warm disposable BBQs are not the only items that pose a fire risk when put in green recycling or black rubbish bins. Batteries, vapes, gas cylinders and electrical items can also catch fire, explode or release hazardous materials when they are crushed inside collection vehicles or processed at recycling facilities.

Waste and recycling crews work hard to keep collections running safely, but one wrongly placed item can put staff, vehicles, facilities and local services at risk. Fires in bin lorries and at recycling sites can also damage valuable recyclable materials and cause disruption for residents.

Residents should follow the advice below when disposing of the following items: 

• Batteries: Batteries can be put out on the same day as black rubbish bins and will be collected by the crews for recycling.  Please put them in a clear sandwich bag or similar so the crews can see what it is and put it on top of the bin.  There are also battery recycling points at supermarkets, shops or Household Recycling Centres. Where possible, remove batteries from items before recycling them separately. 
  
  
• Electrical items: Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be placed on the black rubbish bin and will be collected by the crews. There are also other ways including returned through retailer take-back schemes, donated if reusable, or taken to a Household Recycling Centre.
  
  
• Vapes: These can be put out in the same bag as batteries or taken to retailers that sell them.  All of Worcestershire Household Recycling Centres also have vape recycling points at them. 
  
  
• Disposable barbecues: Allow them to cool completely, then dispose of them safely in your black rubbish bin. They should not be placed in recycling bins.
  
  
• Gas cylinders and canisters: Return them to the supplier where possible or take them to a Household Recycling Centre that accepts them. They must not be placed in household waste or recycling bins because they can explode if crushed.

Cllr Emma Stokes, Wychavon’s Executive Board Member for Resources, Investment and Innovation, said: “We are asking residents to be more aware of how they dispose of batteries, electrical items, disposable barbecues and gas cylinders. These items may look harmless, but if they are put in the bin, they can create a real danger for our crews and the people working at recycling facilities. Please take a moment to check where these items should go and use the correct disposal route. Doing the right thing helps protect staff, vehicles, local services and the wider community.”

To help reinforce the message, Wychavon has joined forces with Material Focus to raise awareness of the fire risk caused by batteries and electrical items being hidden in household rubbish and recycling. Figures show fires involving batteries and small electrical items has risen by over 70% in recent years with the impact on waste collection services and the environment becoming increasingly problematic.

Some of Wychavon’s recycling trucks are now decorated with the HypnoCat campaign, urging residents to keep many everyday products, including mobile phones, toys, power tools, vapes, toothbrushes and chargers out of bins and dispose of them safely.

Find out more about where and how to recycle batteries on Wychavon's waste and recycling page.