Months of bin disruption after battery fire to end

Months of disruption caused by a fire at a waste transfer station likely started by an electric battery is set to come to an end.

The Veolia site in Worksop has been out of use since August, which has delayed bin collections and contributed to problems at tips, according to local authorities.

Veolia said it will fully reopen the site on Friday after months of rebuilding.

Darrell Pulk, the councillor responsible for waste collection on Bassetlaw District Council, said it will then take time for them to clear the backlog and get fully back to normal, but they will make it happen "as soon as possible".

More than 165 firefighters took two days to bring the blaze at the Veolia site off Claylands Avenue under control after being called just before 01:00 BST on 20 August.

The fire service deemed it an accident and Veolia said it had been "almost definitely" caused by a lithium-ion battery, because of the speed it spread and the heat of the flames.

These batteries are found in mobile phones, laptops, and vapes as well as in larger products like e-bikes and e-scooters.

As a result of the fire, bin lorries have had to make longer journeys to drop off waste.

The council said it had largely stayed on top of collections, but Christmas put on extra pressure and in January, one of the lorries was damaged in a vehicle fire also caused by a battery.

According to the council, the extra driving has put more strain on the fleet and three other vehicles currently need repairs.

This has all meant bin collections have been delayed sporadically across the Bassetlaw area over several months, to the frustration of residents like 39-year-old Dan Hunt.

He said he had experienced several delays, including a wait of more than a week for two of his bins to be collected.

"It's frustrating," he said. "It's just a massive knock-on effect to everyday life.

"Hopefully we've seen the end of the bin war, shall we say?"

Pulk said he could not put a timeline on when the service would return to normal but the reopening of the centre means they can begin to catch up.

"It has really put a big strain on the organisation," he said. "But I think we're through the worst, fingers crossed.

"We will be able to reduce our journey times and start the catch-up process, which may take two or three weeks.

"I'd like to thank the patience of the public in this, understanding our difficulties and also the hard work that the crews have put in, working Saturdays, working extra time, having to travel long distances."

Nottinghamshire County Council had also previously blamed long queues and people being turned away at tips partly on the disruption caused by the fire.

A new roof has been put on the waste transfer building, as well as a new fire suppression system to deal with similar fires in the future.

Veolia said this was "one of the biggest" fires at a waste transfer centre, but on average nationally one breaks out in one of their waste facilities or collection vehicles every day.

It would not say how much the repairs in Worksop have cost, and the district council would not say how much it had spent on overtime, but Veolia said it was covering the additional costs caused by the fire.

A spokesperson added: "We have been working tirelessly to carry out the substantial repairs required to restore the site to full operation.

"We are grateful for the patience and understanding shown by residents throughout this time and we look forward to Worksop returning to full capacity."

The company has also previously urged people to dispose of batteries properly.

Abby Simms, from Veolia, said: "By putting [batteries that contain lithium-ion] in the bin, you're possibly creating a fire.

"You're creating something that could put our people or the members of the public at risk.

"They should be taken to your local household waste recycling centre, or taken back to the retailer that you purchased them from in order to prevent these preventable fires."

Listen to BBC Radio Nottingham on Sounds and follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.