Local council issues warning over dangers of throwing vapes into bins
Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
Discarded vapes are being blamed for a growing number of fires in household rubbish collections across East Devon, according to council officials.
East Devon District Council (EDDC) says it has already recorded three fires linked to waste collections in 2026 - including two at council depots and one inside a bin lorry.
The figure is close to the total for the whole of last year, when four similar incidents were reported.
Officials believe the increase is being driven largely by vapes and other items containing lithium-ion batteries being thrown into general household waste.
A spokesperson for EDDC said: “All were dealt with quickly so were small scale.
“However, without the depot staff and crew’s quick reactions these could have been worse.
“The fires do cause disruption [though] most so far have been extinguished in the vehicle but then crews need to travel back to the depot and offload.
“Numbers are rising, primarily due to vapes.”
Last year, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service attended a fire involving a bin lorry at Millwey Rise Industrial Estate in Axminster after smoke was spotted coming from waste collected by the vehicle.
Biffa, which operated the lorry, said at the time that while the exact cause was unknown, it had seen a “growing number” of fires involving lithium-ion batteries.
Similar incidents involving refuse vehicles have also been reported in Exeter and Plymouth.
The fire service previously said it would carry out a detailed review into fires involving lithium-ion batteries, including those linked to electric vehicles and disposable vapes.
Residents are being urged not to place vapes or battery-powered devices into household bins because of the fire risk they pose during waste collection and processing.
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