A South Kesteven District Councillor has called for a more effective approach to battery recycling following a bin lorry fire earlier this year.

Councillor Ben Green (Conservative Party) presented a motion to the council on Thursday, proposing the implementation of a battery collection scheme similar to the one in place at Rushcliffe Borough Council.

This initiative would involve the collection of small bags of batteries alongside regular waste, in an attempt to reduce the risk of fires in refuse vehicles triggered by batteries.

In March, a refuse crew was forced to empty the flaming contents of a truck in Ingoldsby after a fire, suspected to have been sparked by a single-use vape, broke out.

"While South Kesteven has been running a public information campaign on proper battery disposal, this unfortunate event indicates that it has not been entirely successful," said Councillor Green.

"As a result, we face the possibility of losing expensive refuse vehicles, each of which I believe carries a six-figure price tag when new."

He further noted that although retailers are legally required to provide collection bins, access can still be challenging for people, particularly those without a car.

Councillor Virginia Moran (Independent) backed his motion in response to feedback from residents in her ward. Last week, the representative for Market and West Deeping conducted a poll, which showed that 30% of residents were in favour of the motion.

Nevertheless, she also recognised residents' curiosity about the potential cost of the scheme.

Councillor Vanessa Smith (Green Party) also backed the proposed scheme, criticising single-use vapes as "disastrous for the environment".

She stated: "We fully support the idea of this battery collection scheme. In addition, we would also like a review of the matter of single-use vapes, potentially lobbying the central government to bring an end to them."

Council Leader Richard Cleaver (Independent) acknowledged the councillors' sentiments and requested that officers draft costed options for implementing the proposed scheme.

Former Mayor of Grantham Councillor Graham Jeal (Conservative) subsequently urged the committee to prioritise this issue on future agendas. He added, "This is a priority for the reasons that have been outlined."

Would you welcome purple bins? Image credit: Lincolnshire County Council.

This comes as SKDC and other Lincolnshire Councils get ready to welcome purple bins to recycle paper and cardboard.

Some have said that this would be one bin too many, while others welcome the change.

What do you think about the reform of local recycling and waste disposal?

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