A marine flare left out with normal household waste caused a dramatic explosion at the Isle of Wight Council’s Forest Road waste plant yesterday.
The incident was contained immediately by staff on site and nobody was injured.
The Isle of Wight Council’s Waste and Environment manager, Natasha Dix, explained what had happened:
“Somebody had put out a marine distress flare with general waste, and this ignited when it was going through the recycling machinery at the Forest Road plant.
“There are a few things that are too dangerous to be put in the general recycling, and we so ask people to keep our operatives safe, and not put out old batteries, or pyrotechnics such as marine flares.
“Unused and used fireworks can be put in general waste – they should be soaked in a bucket of water for 24 hours and tightly wrapped in plastic to keep them moist.
“But marine flares contain explosives, and really should not be put in any waste or recycling.
“Luckily this flare went off in an area of the plant away from our staff and contractors, and the plant is now working as normal following a clean-up.
“But had it ignited elsewhere this could have been a far more serious incident.”
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
