Fire in refuse lorry prompts warning that bins only for recycling waste

Stratford-on-Avon District Council has warned that the blue-lidded recycling bins are only for recycling waste following a fire in a collection vehicle today, Wednesday 21 March 2012.

A Biffa collection lorry, carrying recycling waste, caught fire at around 9.40am in Salford Priors and the crew reacted quickly and called the fire brigade.  When the fire brigade arrived the material was tipped in the Salford Priors Memorial Hall car park where the fire was dealt with, avoiding more serious implications.   Afterwards refuse and street cleansing operatives reacted swiftly to clean up the waste.

Chris Dobson, Waste & Recycling Officer at Stratford District Council says: “We think the cause of the fire may have been from hot ashes and had the refuse crew not reacted so swiftly, it could have been more serious.  This serves as a strong reminder to residents that their recycling bins should only be used to dispose of the agreed material."

The load was cleaned up and unfortunately had to be sent to landfill.

District residents are reminded not to put hot ashes in their refuse bins as there could be serious consequences and ashes should not be put in either the recycling or garden/food waste bin.  Cold ashes can be put in the grey bin. 

Residents are reminded that they can recycle: paper, cardboard, rigid household plastic packaging and plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, tins and cans, aluminium foil, aerosols and cartons which can all be placed loose in your blue-lidded bin and not in plastic bags as these cannot currently be recycled.