Cumbria children help prevent fires by saving two tonnes of batteries from household waste

Safety-conscious school children across Cumbria are helping prevent the problem of fires caused by the improper disposal of batteries. 

Since May 2024, primary schools across the county have been rescuing batteries from their bins at home as part of the ‘Baa-ttery Campaign’, so named because 3.2 million batteries are thrown away in Cumbria each year - equivalent to the weight of more than 3,650 Herdwick Sheep. 

Six prizes were up for grabs for schools which collected the most batteries per pupil: two £300 book tokens, two £200 book tokens and two £100 book tokens, generously donated by Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council. 

Seventy per cent of primary schools took part, collecting more than 2,000kg of batteries, with the top six winning schools below collecting over 200kg between them. 

And the winners are: 

Cumberland Council

1st Place - Waberthwaite C of E School, Millom

2nd Place -  Bewcastle School, Carlisle

3rd Place - Lowca Community School, Whitehaven 

Westmorland and Furness Council 

1st Place - Hunter Hall School, Penrith 

2nd Place - Patterdale C of E School, Penrith

3rd Place - Penruddock Primary School, Penrith 

Picture caption: Cllr Giles Archibald with Hermione Holiday and Lucy Millington and Nick Blake, from Biffa

Improperly disposing of batteries in general waste or recycling bins can be hazardous. If damaged during transportation or treatment, batteries can ignite or even explode, damaging equipment and putting waste and recycling workers at risk. 

The campaign was launched by Renewi but is now managed by Biffa. Free battery collection boxes were supplied to schools by campaign partners Valpak Ltd, making it easy for pupils to safely recycle their batteries. Once a box is full, schools call the number on the box for a free collection and a replacement box. 

Biffa, which operates two Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) facilities on behalf of  Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council, processes over 110,000 tonnes of residual waste from 225,000 households across Cumbria each year. By diverting waste from landfill, the company helps convert material into energy, however battery-related fires remain a constant threat. 

The campaign is already expanding, with plans to bring battery recycling to even more locations across Cumbria. By shining a spotlight on the importance of battery recycling, Biffa aims to increase the number of recycling points across the region and make it easier for everyone to recycle their household batteries, ultimately reducing the environmental impact of battery waste. 

Residents and organisation can continue supporting the Baa-ttery Campaign by ordering free collection boxes and visiting www.recycle-more.co.uk