Fires at Two Cumbria Recycling Centres Spur Warning on Safe Disposal of Batteries and Vapes

Key Points

• Incidents occurred at the Bousteads and Maryport recycling centres; batteries or vapes are suspected causes.
• Council guidance: do not place batteries or vapes in general kerbside waste; use designated battery/e-cigarette or small electricals collection points.
• Separate fire at Flusco HWRC believed to be caused by a not-fully-extinguished disposable BBQ.
• Councillor Bob Kelly thanked staff and emergency responders, noting the incidents could have been far more serious.

2Firsts, September 30, 2025 — According to the BBC, Cumberland Council reported that two recycling centres—Bousteads and Maryport—recently saw fires that are suspected to have been sparked by batteries or vapes. While the fires were quickly brought under control, both locations were evacuated as a precaution. The council warned that the incidents “could have been much worse,” and reiterated the need for careful disposal of hazardous items.

Officials stressed that any battery-containing devices—including vapes, disposable vapes, power banks, and small electricals—must not be placed in general kerbside bins or mixed with household waste. Residents should instead take such items to dedicated battery banks, e-cigarette drop-off points, or the appropriate sections of local recycling centres to reduce the risk of short circuits, self-heating, and fire during transport and sorting.

In a separate case, a fire at the Flusco household waste recycling centre was believed to have been caused by a disposable BBQ that had not been fully extinguished. The council urged residents to ensure all embers, cigarette ends, and BBQs are completely extinguished and cooled before disposal.

Councillor Bob Kelly, executive member for environment and planning, said: “These incidents could have had far more serious consequences, and I want to thank staff and emergency responders for their quick thinking and calm professionalism. Their actions helped protect the public and prevent further damage.”

The council concluded by urging the public to follow local guidance when disposing of batteries, vapes, and other potentially hazardous items, and to alert staff or emergency services immediately if they notice unusual smells, smoke, or heat at recycling facilities.