Since January 2024 there have been 155 fires at the MRWA/SUEZ Rail Transfer Loading Station in Kirkby
18:57, 15 Dec 2025Updated 18:57, 15 Dec 2025
A blaze caused by a battery at MRWA/SUEZ Rail Transfer Loading Station in Kirkby
People across Merseyside are being urged to recycle broken festive lights, batteries and other small electrical items this Christmas to help prevent dangerous fires in the waste system.
Local waste authorities have joined forces with the Recycle Your Electricals campaign to support the national “Stop Battery Fires” initiative, which aims to reduce the growing number of blazes caused by batteries and electrical items being thrown away in household bins.
Officials warned that many popular festive items, including battery-powered fairy lights and novelty ‘FastTech’ gifts, can ignite when crushed or damaged in bin lorries, waste transfer stations or recycling centres.
Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) said discarded battery-powered fairy lights alone would stretch the equivalent of more than seven trips around the world if laid end to end.
Lesley Worswick, chief executive of MRWA, said batteries placed in the wrong bin pose a serious risk to waste workers and firefighters.
She said: “Many light-up electrical items are powered by batteries which, if they end up in the wrong bin, can be crushed and damaged, sparking dangerous fires. All of the region’s Household Waste Recycling Centres accept batteries, as do most supermarkets, so we urge people to dispose of them responsibly.”
Many popular festive items, including battery-powered fairy lights, can ignite when crushed or damaged in bin lorries, waste transfer stations or recycling centres
Figures from the Recycle Your Electricals campaign show an estimated 1.1 billion electrical items and almost 450 million loose batteries have been thrown away in the UK, each presenting a potential fire risk.
Nationally, more than 1,200 battery-related fires were recorded in 2023/24, a rise of 71% on the previous year, with many incidents occurring in refuse vehicles and waste facilities.
The scale of the problem has also been felt locally. Since January 2024, 155 fires have been reported at the MRWA and SUEZ Rail Transfer Loading Station in Kirkby, including 61 last year and 94 so far this year.
Steve Patterson, processing managing director at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, said battery fires can escalate rapidly.
He said: “A battery can go from nothing to a full-blown blaze in seconds, putting both our facilities and our teams at risk. With the rise in battery-powered items, particularly at this time of year, it’s vital people do not put batteries or electrical items in household bins.”
Campaign organisers are reminding residents to remove batteries from electrical items where possible and to recycle both separately at designated collection points.
Niamh McBride, local authority and environmental partnerships manager at Material Focus, which runs the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, said: “Never bin old batteries or electricals. Always recycle them separately to help keep waste crews, emergency services and local communities safe.”
It’s now easier than ever to recycle broken and unused electricals using Recycle Your Electricals’ Postcode Locator – https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/electrical-recycling-near-me/. Just enter your postcode to find your nearest repair, donation or recycling point which has over 30,000 locations across the UK.
Visit www.recycleright.org.uk for local recycling advice in Liverpool City Region.