The fire in one of South Kesteven District Council’s (SKDC) £250,000 refuse vehicles occurred on October 2, with Grantham fire crews called to extinguish the blaze, which was caused by a battery that exploded.

In a statement, the local authority confirmed that the load was ‘spoilt and no longer fit for recycling’ following the incident.

Cllr Rhys Baker, SKDC’s cabinet member for environment and waste, said: ‘We regularly remind our residents about putting the right thing in the right bin. Batteries and vapes have never gone in any of our bins. They are a real fire risk.

‘As we see more and more battery-powered devices in our lives, I want to remind everyone to dispose of their batteries - including vapes, phones, and electronic toys - responsibly.’

He advised residents to dispose of electrical waste by putting batteries in a bag and securing it to the lid of black, silver or purple wheelie bins on ‘any weekly collection day’.

The council added that batteries can also be recycled at supermarkets and hardware shops, as well as at household waste recycling centres for specific battery types.

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