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Guernsey Waste has encouraged all households to ‘check before you chuck’ in a leaflet detailing the importance of disposing dangerous items correctly.
This comes after nearly 30 fire incidents occurred at Longue Hougue waste centre in the last three years because of dangerous objects being incorrectly disposed.
The leaflet provides information on how and where to dispose of certain items, including; batteries, digital cameras, e-cigarettes, electronic items, flares, gas canisters, laptops, and mobile phones.
Contracts and Compliance Manager Rachel Scally empahsised that these items should never be disposed of in household recycling or general waste bags.
“Guernsey Waste wants to make sure every islander is aware of the dangers and knows how to dispose of these items correctly. So rather than just rely on the information only being available online, which may not be accessible for everyone, leaflets are being delivered to every household,” she said.
Pictured: dangerous items such as batteries and pressurised canisters should not be disposed of in household recycling or black-sack bags due to fire risks.
Ms Scally continued: “while such items were not commonplace in waste and recycling, we've had almost 30 separate fire incidents at the waste transfer station at Longue Hougue.
“Fortunately, none of these resulted in serious injury or damage because our fire suppression systems managed to extinguish them. However, we have been lucky so far, because these items could have ignited or explode at any point from when they were collected through to being processed."
Most items can be taken free of charge to the Longue Hougue Waste and Recycling Centre, except for flares which can be dropped off at the following marine traders:
Flares can also be delivered to the Police Station so they can be safely disposed of.
In addition, domestic batteries can be recycled free of charge at Co-op Grand Marche Stores, Aladdin’s Cave, Waitrose and all schools.
For information about the Longue Hougue Household Waste & Recycling Centre, including opening times click HERE, or contact Guernsey Waste at recycle@gov.gg.
Pictured top: Rachel Scally, Contracts and Compliance Manager at Guernsey Waste.
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