ELWA Invites East London Artists to Curb Battery Fires

Key Points

• East London Waste Authority (ELWA) invites local artists, makers, and creative organisations to submit proposals for a bold, engaging public art installation aimed at encouraging residents to recycle small electricals and lithium-ion batteries at dedicated points, never in household bins.​
• The eye-catching installation will tour Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, and Redbridge boroughs throughout 2026.​
• Initiative partners with Recycle Your Electricals’ “Stop Battery Fires” campaign to raise awareness about dangers of incorrect disposal.​
• Councillor Miraj Patel, Chair of ELWA, highlighted 229 fires at ELWA waste facilities last year, a 57% increase from the previous year, costing millions and risking frontline staff.​
• Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in items like vapes, wireless earbuds, e-scooters, and toys igniting when crushed in waste vehicles.​
• Proposals due by 9am on Monday, 9 February 2026; completed installation required by June 2026.​
• Brief available at www.eastlondonwaste.gov.uk/batteries; contact [email protected] for queries.​
• Follows ELWA’s successful Battery Recycling Roadshow in February 2025, engaging over 1,000 people.​
• Part of broader crisis: UK waste battery fires cost over £1 billion annually per Eunomia and ESA research; London authorities report sharp rises.​

What is ELWA’s Public Art Initiative?

The East London Waste Authority (ELWA) has launched a call for creative proposals to combat rising battery fires through innovative public art. As reported across multiple outlets, ELWA seeks a striking installation that stands out, sparks curiosity, and delivers a clear message on recycling small electricals and batteries correctly.​

Creatives from East London are encouraged to design a touring exhibit that “powers up” residents against fire risks. The artwork targets improper disposal habits, where lithium-ion batteries hidden in everyday items like vapes, ear pods, e-scooters, and children’s toys ignite under compaction in bin lorries and waste sites.​

This project harnesses art’s power to shift behaviours in communities, building on prior successes like ELWA’s Battery Recycling Roadshow in February 2025, which drew over 1,000 interactions at busy venues.​

Why Are Battery Fires a Growing Problem in East London?

Battery fires pose a persistent threat to waste operations nationwide, with East London facing acute challenges. As stated by Councillor Miraj Patel, Chair of ELWA, in comments reported by the London Post:

“Battery fires in bin lorries and waste sites remain a challenge across all local authorities. There were 229 fires in ELWA’s waste facilities last year, a 57 per cent increase over the previous year.”​

These incidents not only incur millions in costs to the waste industry annually but also endanger frontline staff collecting and treating waste, according to Patel. Similar rises plague neighbouring authorities: North London Waste Authority (NLWA) saw fires from electricals jump from six in 2023 to 13 in 2024, driven by vapes and small electronics.​

Broader data underscores the crisis. London waste authorities, including ELWA, noted a 57% rise in 2024, while WRWA recorded eight fires in 2024/25 and ten already in 2025/26. Eunomia and the Electrical Safety Alliance (ESA) research estimates UK waste battery fires cost over £1 billion yearly, with risks of physical harm, toxic fumes, and environmental damage from contaminated water.​

Who is Councillor Miraj Patel and What Did He Say?

Councillor Miraj Patel, as Chair of ELWA, leads the charge against this fire epidemic. In a statement covered by BBC News, Patel remarked:

“Battery fires in refuse trucks and waste sites continue to be a challenge for all local authorities…. Last year, there [were] 229 in EL[WA]’s waste, marking a 57% rise compared to the previous year. These incidents result in millions of pounds in costs for the waste sector annually and also present a serious danger to the frontline personnel involved in waste collection and processing.”​

The London Post quoted Patel further:

“The public can play a really important role in helping stamp out this issue by disposing of batteries and electrical items correctly. We want to use art to engage and shift recycling habits in communities across East London, and I’m really excited to see what our brilliant creative community can come up with.”​

Patel’s prior comments, such as welcoming the disposable vape ban as a “blight on local streets,” reflect his ongoing advocacy for waste safety.​

Which Boroughs Will the Art Installation Tour?

The commissioned installation will travel across four ELWA boroughs to maximise reach. It targets Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, and Redbridge, where residents will encounter the artwork in public spaces throughout 2026.​

This touring format ensures broad engagement, mirroring the roadshow’s venue-based approach. By visiting high-traffic areas, the exhibit aims to “spark a movement” against fire risks, as phrased in London Post coverage.​

How Does This Partner with Recycle Your Electricals?

ELWA collaborates with the Recycle Your Electricals “Stop Battery Fires” campaign for this initiative. The partnership amplifies awareness of lithium-ion battery hazards in small electricals, urging dedicated recycling over bin disposal.​

This aligns with regional efforts, like NLWA’s “Lead the Charge” campaign launched in October 2025 with London Fire Brigade, focusing on fire-risk items: electric toothbrushes, smartphones, e-scooter batteries, vapes, and power tools.​

Richard Field, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Prevention and Protection at London Fire Brigade, supported NLWA’s push:

“Lithium-ion battery fires are a major risk and we are attending fires regularly involving waste in bin lorries. We’ve also attended significant fires at waste disposal sites across the capital, which we suspect are caused by lithium-ion batteries.”​

What Should the Public Art Installation Achieve?

The ideal artwork must captivate and educate, standing out to prompt action. ELWA specifies it should encourage recycling at designated points, highlighting compaction ignition risks.​

Designers are tasked with creating something curiosity-inducing, per the brief, to foster habit change amid rising fires. This creative intervention addresses gaps in public knowledge, as batteries in vapes reach 800°C in “thermal runaway,” hotter than Mercury’s surface.​

Who Can Apply and What Are the Deadlines?

Local artists, makers, and organisations in East London qualify to pitch ideas. Interested parties access the full brief at www.eastlondonwaste.gov.uk/batteries and submit proposals online by 9am GMT on Monday, 9 February 2026.​

Completed installations must deliver by June 2026, with the selected designer commissioned directly by ELWA. Queries go to [email protected].​

What Broader Actions Are London Authorities Taking?

London’s waste bodies urge government intervention amid the crisis. A November 2025 letter highlighted ELWA’s 57% fire rise and called for stronger producer responsibility, citing £1 billion UK costs.​

NLWA’s campaign emphasises safety risks and recycling options, backed by LFB’s Field:

“These fires can be very time consuming for our firefighters and often require a high level of resources to extinguish. We’ve also seen the detrimental environmental and societal impact these fires can have on local communities.”​

ELWA’s art call thus complements these multi-faceted responses, blending culture with policy for safer waste management.