Recycling firm speaks out over South London fire that shrouded towns in smoke for days

Charlotte Lillywhite
·6-min read
Smoke from fire at Reston Waste Management, Wimbledon
-Credit: (Image: Glyn Goodwin)


A waste company has raised concerns about the incorrect disposal of lithium batteries, after a fire at its plant left South Londoners 'choking on smoke' for days. Around 40 firefighters rushed to Reston Waste Management on Weir Road, Wimbledon, after a blaze broke out on September 7 and continued to burn for several days.

The direction of the wind meant large quantities of smoke were blown across the Merton border into Earlsfield and other areas in Wandsworth, which forced several schools to close. Reston Waste told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that while the London Fire Brigade (LFB) recorded the cause of the blaze as undetermined, there is 'an issue with lithium-ion batteries not being disposed of correctly' in general.

Lithium batteries are the main type of rechargeable battery found in household electrical items and vehicles. While fire-related incidents with these batteries are uncommon if they are used correctly, they can ignite, burn and in some cases explode if they overheat, are punctured, crushed or overcharged. In fact LFB says they are the fastest rising cause of fire in the city, particularly when it comes to e-scooters and bikes being modified or charged with the wrong type of charger.

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Nick Seymour, 70, in Earlsfield
Nick Seymour, 70, said residents had not been given enough information on the blaze -Credit:Charlotte Lillywhite

Reston Waste warned that, out of the millions of batteries incorrectly thrown away each year, lithium batteries are 'most prone to starting serious fires, since they have a high energy density and are particularly volatile once damaged'.

The comments come after Earlsfield residents told the LDRS they felt left in the dark about the incident, with the fire only fully extinguished on September 11. Glyn Goodwin, 64, who has asthma, said: "As the dangers of air pollution have become ever clearer, you want to know about this stuff really. I’m feeling it - I’m being choked, I’ve noticed myself coughing."

Nick Seymour, 70, also claimed Wandsworth Council failed to provide residents with enough information on the blaze. He told the LDRS: "They're normally good about those things but on this, absolutely nothing."

Tooting MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan wrote a letter to Wandsworth and Merton councils, LFB and Environment Agency on September 26 to escalate residents' concerns. The Labour MP said: "I would be grateful if details could be provided on the steps you will be taking to investigate the fire, in particular focusing on whether proper fire safety procedures and rules were implemented and proactively being followed by Reston Waste.

"Further to this, I would appreciate any details on the causes of the fire and the reasons for its duration, as residents have raised concerns with me regarding the content of the smoke."

The LDRS understands the LFB is putting together a report to help authorities better understand what caused the fire, why it burned for so long and whether Reston Waste followed the correct procedures. It is working with the Environment Agency and Merton and Wandsworth councils in relation to the incident.

Responding to Dr Allin-Khan's questions, a Reston Waste spokesperson told the LDRS fire safety procedures are in place at all of the company's sites and follow health and safety protocols. The spokesperson said: "The cause of the fire is undetermined. Waste fires often take time to bring under control and it is not uncommon for them to burn for weeks. The fire service, supported by staff from Reston Waste, was able to isolate the fire and put it out, relatively quickly.

"Whilst we don't know the cause of the fire at our depot, there is an issue with lithium-ion batteries not being disposed of correctly. It is a problem across the industry. We deal with non-hazardous construction waste - concrete, plasterboard, wood, metal, et cetera - so there should not have been any batteries or toxic material in the waste."

Smoke from the fire at Reston Waste Management, Wimbledon
The wind blew the smoke across the Merton border into Wandsworth -Credit:Glyn Goodwin

They added: "We are currently in dialogue with Dr Allin-Khan and her team to examine how we can work together to prevent similar fires happening in future. Our managing director had a meeting with them this week to discuss how different parties can help tackle the issue.

"This is an industry-wide problem and whilst we don't know the cause of the fire at our depot, there is an issue with lithium-ion batteries. We are also currently in discussion with the London Fire Brigade, looking at ways in which we can educate consumers as to the need to dispose of batteries with care."

LFB advises lithium batteries should not be placed in the same bins as regular rubbish or recycling. Residents should check their local council's website for the safe way to dispose of lithium batteries in their area.

An LFB spokesperson said: "Fires can be recorded as having an undetermined cause when the site is unsafe, thus hindering the work of our fire investigators, or when there is not enough evidence to definitively confirm one cause.

"The reason for the fire's duration lies in this being a complex fire, with multiple deep-seated pockets of fire situated within around 6,000 cubic metres of waste. Crews needed to continuously turn over the waste and damp it down whilst working with site operators to remove the waste to a separate site, enabling them to reach all of the hotspots."

A Merton Council spokesperson told the LDRS the authority was 'deeply concerned' about the fire and its impact on residents. They said: "Our air quality team – which works across Merton, Wandsworth and Richmond – carried out monitoring during the incident and shared the findings with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), who produced health protection advice which was passed on to residents of both boroughs.

"The UKHSA have also provided the reassuring advice that they do not expect any long-term health effects as a result of this incident. As is normal practice in circumstances such as these, the LFB are currently putting together a report which will help us better understand the cause of the fire and the reasons for its duration, as well as whether the correct fire safety procedures and rules were followed by Reston Waste.

"Additionally, we are seeking assurances from the Environment Agency, who permit the site, to ensure that the site has been operated properly and in accordance with their existing environmental permit requirements."

A Wandsworth Council spokesperson added: "Wandsworth Council takes the safety of its residents extremely seriously. We worked with the London Fire Brigade throughout to identify risks and take appropriate precautions as necessary, alerting affected residents both in person and online.

"We are now supporting partner agencies including the LFB, Environment Agency and Merton Council in the investigation of the fire and take steps to ensure we have proper procedures in place."

Got a story? Email charlotte.lillywhite@reachplc.com

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