Belgian recyclers protest surge in battery fires

Battery fires are becoming a growing concern for Belgium’s recycling sector, according to the industry association Denuo, which represents a network of more than 200 firms handling metal, plastic and electronic waste across the country. The association warns that without coordinated action, the trend could jeopardize Belgium’s broader waste‑management goals.

Incidents rise sharply

On 19 August a blaze erupted at Galloo’s main metal‑recycling plant in Menen, a town that sits just a few kilometres from the French border. Officials say a discarded lithium cell hidden in a batch of electronic waste likely sparked the fire, and the resulting smoke plume forced nearby residents to stay indoors for several hours. Local fire services reported thick black smoke that lingered for hours, prompting health advisories.

Denuo reports that battery‑related fires at recycling facilities have risen from 20 incidents three years ago to 60 per year, a three‑fold increase. This calendar year the count has already hit 45. The surge reflects growing volumes of portable lithium devices entering the waste stream.

The association points to incorrectly sorted lithium batteries as the main cause. Small devices—electric toothbrushes, toys—often end up mixed with metal, paper, textiles or residual waste. When those cells are damaged during handling, they can ignite. Damage often occurs when crushing equipment punctures cells, releasing flammable electrolyte.

Impact on recyclers and calls for change

Fires halt production lines, endanger workers and drive up insurance costs, leaving firms to foot bills for damage they didn’t cause. Higher premiums force operators to consider exiting the market.

Fires jeopardize safety daily.

Denuo urges collection groups Recupel and Bebat to tighten existing schemes. One proposal is an extra levy on every battery sold, with proceeds earmarked for fire‑prevention tech and research.

A smarter return system for portable lithium cells could steer consumers toward proper disposal.

The federation also says governments should enforce stricter rules on battery removability and clear labelling, and push EU regulators to target products whose batteries are hard to recycle safely. Consumers, it adds, have a role to play.

Removable batteries should go to a Bebat point, while devices with non‑removable cells belong at a Recupel collection site.

The situation mirrors past spikes in hazardous‑waste incidents when new technologies outpace disposal infrastructure. In those earlier episodes, modest policy tweaks and industry‑led funding eventually curbed the problem, though the lag cost companies millions in lost revenue and forced temporary plant shutdowns.

Denuo stresses that a circular economy only works when responsibility for a battery ends not at checkout, but after it’s safely collected and recycled.

Stakeholders across the chain now face pressure to act before the next fire disrupts operations again.

The association has set a target to reduce fire incidents by 30 % before the end of 2027.