Fire safety for recycling
& waste facilities.Properly assessed, from £295.
Lithium batteries in the waste stream have made recycling and waste facilities one of the fastest-growing fire risk categories in the UK. The National Fire Chiefs Council recorded over 1,200 battery-related fires in bin lorries and at waste sites in a single year, a 71 per cent increase in two years. And that is before accounting for the broader fire risks of a site that compresses, shreds, and stores large quantities of combustible material. We carry out fire risk assessments for recycling centres, MRFs, WEEE handlers, scrap yards, and waste transfer stations across the North West and North Wales.
Who is the Responsible Person?
In a waste facility the duty sits with the operator, with environmental and permit obligations running alongside fire safety law.
The operator is the Responsible Person and must ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is in place covering the whole site, including indoor and outdoor storage, processing areas, and vehicle parking.
Waste sites operate under Environment Agency environmental permits, which include conditions on fire prevention and fire management plans. The fire risk assessment and the fire management plan required under the permit need to be consistent with each other.
Operators handling waste electrical equipment or batteries have specific additional obligations regarding the segregation, storage, and processing of battery-containing items, which feed directly into the fire risk assessment.
Large quantities of material stored outdoors, from baled cardboard and plastic to stockpiled scrap, present fire risks that the assessment must cover, including arson, hot works, and spontaneous combustion in certain materials.
The problems we
hear most often
Fire safety in a waste and recycling facility is often managed alongside a heavy environmental compliance workload. These are the gaps we find most regularly.
"We are handling increasing volumes of WEEE and batteries in the waste stream, and we have had small fires. We are not confident our assessment covers the lithium risk adequately."
Lithium-ion batteries in the waste stream are the fastest-growing fire risk in the recycling sector. When crushed or punctured in processing equipment, they can ignite instantly and are very difficult to suppress. The NFCC recorded over 1,200 battery fires in the waste system in a single year. We assess your battery and WEEE handling specifically, covering intake, segregation, storage, processing, and the response plan for a battery fire.
"Our Environment Agency permit includes a fire management plan, but it was written separately from our fire risk assessment and the two do not really align."
The Environment Agency requires a fire management plan as a permit condition, and that plan needs to be consistent with the fire risk assessment. Where the two have been written separately, there are often gaps, particularly around fire detection, suppression, and the containment of fire water run-off. We produce a fire risk assessment that is explicitly aligned with your EA fire management plan, or advise on what changes are needed to bring them into alignment.
"We store large quantities of baled material outdoors, and we have had an arson attack. Our perimeter and arson precautions are not adequate."
Outdoor storage of baled cardboard, plastic, and other combustible material is a major fire risk, and waste sites are a recurring target for arson. A fire in a bale stack can be enormous and very difficult to control. We assess your outdoor storage, perimeter security, bale stack heights, separation distances, and arson precautions as a specific part of the assessment.
What makes recycling sites
different to assess
A waste and recycling facility has fire risks that are growing in scale and complexity, driven by lithium batteries in the waste stream, large outdoor combustible storage, and processing equipment that can ignite material in seconds.
The fastest-growing fire risk in the sector
Lithium-ion batteries hidden in household and commercial waste are crushed or punctured in processing equipment and can ignite instantly, producing fires that are difficult to suppress and can reignite. Over 1,200 battery fires were recorded in the UK waste system in a single year, a figure that continues to rise with the growth of consumer electronics and EVs.
Battery segregation in electrical waste
Waste electrical equipment contains lithium, lead-acid, and other battery types, and segregation of WEEE from general waste before processing is the primary control. Operators handling WEEE need specific procedures for intake, identification, and safe storage of battery-containing items.
Cardboard, plastic & spontaneous combustion
Large bale stacks of paper, cardboard, and plastic are significant fire hazards, from arson to spontaneous combustion in certain materials. Stack heights, separation distances from buildings and site boundaries, and bale management practices all need assessing.
Shredders, balers & conveyor fires
Shredding and baling equipment can start fires by sparking on metal contaminants, overheating on blockages, or igniting batteries in the feed material. Equipment maintenance, spark detection on certain lines, and the procedures for dealing with a machine fire need specific attention.
A recurring and serious threat
Waste sites are targeted for arson with regularity, because they contain large quantities of combustible material, are often partially accessible, and fires in bale stacks can be enormous and difficult to control. Perimeter security, lighting, CCTV, and the control of site access outside working hours need assessing specifically.
EA permit and run-off risk
The Environment Agency requires fire management plans to address fire water run-off and the risk of contaminating watercourses. The fire risk assessment should be consistent with the containment and drainage arrangements required under the permit.
Lithium batteries in the waste stream — the risk the sector cannot keep up with
The National Fire Chiefs Council has described fires involving incorrectly disposed lithium-ion batteries as a disaster waiting to happen. Lithium-ion batteries hidden in household and commercial waste are crushed or punctured in processing equipment and can ignite instantly, producing fires that are extremely difficult to suppress and can reignite without warning. Insurers have seen individual claims reach £20 million. The growth in consumer electronics, e-bikes, vapes, and power tools means the volume of lithium in the waste stream is increasing every year. We assess your battery handling, WEEE segregation, and fire response arrangements specifically, as a priority element of the fire risk assessment.
Three services.
One point of contact.
Fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, and fire safety training, delivered by one company that understands the waste sector, the lithium battery risk, and the EA permit environment.
Fire risk assessments
From £295 per assessmentA thorough, site-specific assessment covering lithium and WEEE handling, outdoor bale storage, processing equipment, arson precautions, and alignment with your Environment Agency fire management plan. Clear written report and a prioritised action list.
- Lithium battery and WEEE handling assessed specifically
- Outdoor bale storage, stack heights, and separation covered
- Processing equipment fire risk addressed
- Arson precautions and perimeter security reviewed
- EA fire management plan alignment confirmed
- Fire water containment arrangements considered
Fire door inspections
From £14 per doorWaste and recycling buildings rely on fire doors protecting offices, welfare areas, and escape routes from processing and storage areas. We inspect every component and give you a clear condition record.
- Frame, leaf, intumescent seals, hinges & hardware
- Self-closing devices and smoke seals
- Welfare, office, and process area doors
- Photographic evidence per door
- Prioritised remedial recommendations
Fire safety training
From £395 per sessionPractical fire safety training for site staff, weighbridge operators, and fire marshals, focused on the waste environment including lithium battery awareness, bale stack fire response, and equipment fire procedures.
- Fire marshal training for site staff and supervisors
- Lithium battery and WEEE fire awareness
- Bale stack and outdoor storage fire response
- Hands-on extinguisher use on a live fire
- Certificates issued to all attendees
The framework
waste operators work within
A waste facility answers to the fire safety order, to the Environment Agency through its operating permit, and to the HSE, with an increasing regulatory focus on lithium battery risk.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises, including recycling centres and waste transfer stations. The operator must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment covering the whole site, including outdoor storage areas and processing equipment, not just the office and welfare block.
The Environment Agency requires waste site operators to maintain a fire management plan as a condition of their environmental permit. The fire management plan must address fire prevention, detection, and the containment of fire water to prevent watercourse contamination. It must be consistent with the fire risk assessment, and where the two are misaligned the operator is exposed to both fire safety and environmental enforcement.
The rapidly growing fire risk from lithium-ion batteries in the waste stream is specifically addressed in NFCC guidance, EA permit conditions, and insurer requirements. The Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Bill, currently being debated, will place further obligations on the sector. Operators are expected to have assessed and addressed the lithium risk in their current fire management arrangements.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Always appliesThe core legislation. Requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment for all non-domestic premises including waste sites. Failure can result in unlimited fines or prohibition.
EA fire management plan
Permit conditionRequired as an environmental permit condition. Must address fire prevention, detection, and fire water containment. Must be consistent with the fire risk assessment.
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
From January 2023Requires Responsible Persons to record fire safety measures, provide information to relevant persons, and maintain records of checks and actions. Applies to waste facilities in England.
Lithium battery guidance
NFCC & EA expectationNFCC guidance and EA permit conditions specifically address the lithium battery risk in the waste stream. Operators are expected to have assessed the risk and implemented proportionate controls.
Experience you can
put in a report.
Tim founded Fletcher Risk Management to bring genuine expertise and personal accountability to fire safety consultancy in the North West. With more than 30 years in the fire industry, he has assessed waste and recycling facilities across the region. He understands what makes them different, the lithium battery risk in the waste stream, the outdoor bale storage, the processing equipment, and the alignment between fire safety law and the Environment Agency permit. When you book with Fletcher Risk, Tim carries out the work.
- ABBE Level 4 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment
- NEBOSH National General Certificate
- FPA Fire Safety Management Certificate
- Member — Fire Protection Association
Sam oversees operations and documentation, so you have one point of contact and a consistent standard of reporting from first visit to final action log. For waste operators managing several sites across the North West, that means consistent documentation, EA-aligned reporting, and a single point of contact for the compliance team.
- ABBE Level 4 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- 10+ years fire safety experience
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites for a very important client. The work produced exceeded our expectations by far. I would definitely recommend using this company." — Marie Morgan · EIS Ltd ★★★★★
"Without doubt one of the best and most professional businesses I have used for our Fire Risk Assessment. Tim Fletcher is a highly regarded professional in his field. Don't take a chance — protect your staff, protect your building."
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites. I would never hesitate to send Tim — always professional, friendly and accommodating. The work exceeded our expectations."
"Thorough, professional, and excellent value. The report was clear and the action points prioritised in a way that made it easy to know exactly what to tackle first. Would recommend without hesitation."
Book an assessment
built for your site.
Whether you need a fresh assessment covering your lithium and WEEE handling, EA fire management plan alignment, or training for your site team, we can help. Call us for an honest conversation with no obligation.