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A second fire at a waste facility in Landmann Way, Deptford, on Tuesday 18 August has highlighted concerns about Lewisham council's waste disposal contracts. The site, which handles the council's fly-tipped and bulky waste, previously caught fire in June. Lewisham council paid over £142,000 to the facility operator, SSSI, in June.
Over 1,500 fires occurred at UK recycling centres in the year to March 2026, with lithium-ion batteries linked to over a third of them. The escalating problem is costing the UK economy an estimated £1 billion annually.
A fire at a waste facility on Landmann Way in Bermondsey prompted a major response from the London Fire Brigade on 18 August 2026. About 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines attended the scene, where 50 tonnes of household waste burned, producing thick smoke across the area.
The UK government has raised the maximum fine for fly-tipping to £5,000, aiming to tackle Croydon’s record 53,000 incidents in 2024-2025. However, Croydon Council issued only 310 fixed-penalty notices in the past 10 months, raising questions about enforcement.
Islington’s Hornsey Street Waste Transfer Station suffered its fourth fire in 14 months on 28 July 2026, causing at least £1 million in damage. Officials say improper disposal of rechargeable batteries is driving the blazes, while the Lithium-ion Battery Safety Bill remains stuck in Parliament.
Barnet Council’s reintroduced food waste service collects over 100 tonnes weekly, with two million collections since March 2026. The Labour administration restored the scheme after Conservatives scrapped it in 2018, citing £300,000 annual savings. Fox spillages remain rare, with crews clearing incidents during rounds.
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