Movie goals to lift consciousness of fires attributable to batteries within the waste stream
An obvious development in reviews of fires attributable to batteries and electricals containing batteries within the waste and recycling system, has prompted Materials Focus – a not-for-profit targeted on electricals recycling – to launch a public security movie addressing the problem.
“Cease Battery Fires” has been created in partnership with the UK’s Nationwide Fireplace Chiefs Council (NFCC), and is now accessible for native authorities to share. Materials Focus can be calling on native authorities to take part within the 2023 “Cease Battery Fires Survey” that may assess the size and influence of battery fires throughout the UK.
The movie emphasises the hazards of throwing away batteries, and the significance of by no means binning and all the time recycling batteries and electricals containing batteries. Materials Focus says it made the movie for native authorities to share and assist their residents perceive the way to correctly eliminate their batteries and electricals, with the goal to scale back battery fires in bin lorries and at waste and recycling centres. A duplicate of the movie will be downloaded in Materials Focus’s battery hearth comms toolkit which additionally consists of social media templates and different property.
Final yr a Materials Focus survey amongst native authorities recognized that there have been over 700 battery fires within the waste and recycling system throughout the UK. Materials Focus is looking on native authorities to once more take part within the 2023 survey to replace the image of what’s occurring now. To take part within the survey please click on on the survey hyperlink. Final yr over 60 Native Authorities answered the survey and their solutions fashioned a key element of Materials Focus’s work on its “Cease Battery Fires” marketing campaign. The outcomes had been utilized in over 400 items of media protection together with the BBC nationwide and native radio stations, serving to to lift consciousness of the problem and what actions may very well be taken.
Mark Andrews, NFCC waste fires lead stated: “Fireplace and rescue providers see first hand the influence of fires attributable to the inaccurate disposal of batteries and electrical gadgets. The ‘Cease Battery Fires’ marketing campaign and movie will assist assist native authorities in elevating consciousness of this difficulty.
“We’d like homeowners to play their half in lowering these fires which may have a devastating influence on native communities and their atmosphere. And so they can pose an actual threat to workers working within the waste and recycling centres.”
Scott Butler, Government Director of Materials Focus stated: ”Native authorities play a pivotal function in guaranteeing the security and well-being of their communities. Materials Focus urges all native authorities to share the movie to lift consciousness of the hazards of battery fires, and supply their residents with clear data on the significance of by no means binning and all the time recycling batteries and electricals containing batteries. Individuals ought to search Recycle Your Electricals and pop of their postcode to search out their nearest recycling factors.
“Native authorities participation within the battery hearth survey is invaluable in order that we are able to all enhance our understanding of the size and influence of battery fires throughout the UK. By finishing the survey, native authorities will contribute to elevating consciousness of the important thing actions that homeowners can take to make sure that they safely recycle batteries and hidden batteries and shield their communities from the devastating influence battery fires can have.”
Assist increase consciousness and alter public behaviour
The “Cease Batteries Fires Survey” will take 5 minutes to finish. With over 700 reported fires throughout the UK final yr alone, having pattern information is essential to getting the general public to concentrate and alter their behaviour. The survey outcomes will likely be anonymised in order that the solutions gained’t be attributed again to any particular native authority. Materials Focus can be in search of case research of native authorities expertise of battery fires as these will be extremely highly effective, if you’re please get in contact by emailing hey@materialfocus.org.uk
