Authorities sounded the alarm after a house fire was apparently started by a vaping device, the BBC reported.
“Rechargeable devices such as e-cigarettes and vaporizers contain lithium-ion batteries which can cause a fire,” warned Duncan Warwood, policing commander for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, according to the BBC.
What is happening?
Firefighters were called to battle a house fire in West Sussex, southern England, about 45 miles south of London. The fire destroyed a ground-floor bedroom, according to the BBC.
Authorities said they believed a vaping device, found in the bedroom, was to blame.
“Lithium-ion batteries are safe during normal use, but present a fire risk when overcharged, short-circuited, submerged in water or damaged,” Darren Wickings, station manager for the local fire department, told the BBC.
“Charge batteries and devices on a flat, solid, stable surface. Do not leave them charging unattended or overnight and always unplug the charger when fully charged,” Wickings continued.
Why is it important?
Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, particularly those contained in vaping devices, have skyrocketed in recent years.
Non-profit group Material Focus found that in 2023, the UK alone experienced 1,200 fires in rubbish bins, rubbish trucks and landfill sites, all linked to lithium-ion batteries that were improperly disposed of. Many of these batteries were contained in vaping devices.
The problem has become so widespread that Material Focus has dubbed it a “vapocalypse.”
Similarly, Ryan Fogelman, who tracks fires at waste disposal plants and recycling centers, has used the phrase “vaping effect.”
Analyzing the increased number of fires at such facilities, Fogelman wrote in Waste360: “I attribute much of this change to the ‘vaping effect,’ an increase in lithium-ion battery fires caused by improper disposal of vaporizers, which we have seen grow significantly over the past four years.”
However, as the incident in West Sussex demonstrated, vapes don’t just pose a fire risk if disposed of incorrectly. Vaping devices can catch fire anywhere, even inside your own home.
In addition to the risk of fire, e-cigarettes and other vaping devices pose other threats to public health and the environment. For example, a review of the available scientific literature found that vaporizers contain toxic heavy metals such as mercury and lead, as well as hazardous chemicals used as flame retardants. When vaporizers are not properly disposed of, these hazardous substances can leach into the soil and water supply, threatening the environment and public health.
What is being done about it?
To limit the risk of fire and environmental contamination due to vaping devices, it is important to ensure that used vapes are properly disposed of at specially designated drop-off sites.
Additionally, vape users around the world should heed warnings from the UK fire brigade, which include recommendations to only purchase vaping devices from reputable outlets, unplug devices once fully charged, and never leave vapes charging unattended or overnight.
In the United States, the Battery Safety Now campaign seeks to raise awareness about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries and encourage their proper disposal. The campaign website includes a helpful tool that allows you to easily find a used battery drop-off site near you by simply entering your city and state or zip code.
As the campaign slogan says: “Skip the trash, hand in the batteries!”
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