have called for a “wider investigation” into e-waste fires after the incident at Linwood Industrial Estate in Paisley last week.
Waste solutions company Enva later said the fire broke out at its Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Solutions e-waste facility and that the incident has been contained.It came just weeks after a separate explosion and fire at a recycling depot in the Friarton area of Perth, which tragically led to the death of a 41-year-old man.
He added: “Perhaps that was, in fact, the best advice. But it does suggest to me that the immediate health impact of these kinds of events could be quite severe.”Scottish Minister for Victims and Community Safety, Siobhian Brown , urged residents who have found debris from the fire on their property to reach out to their local authority.
“I would be concerned about the potential health and environmental impacts of the pollutants released by the fire.”“Obviously I wasn't anywhere near the fire when it happened but I have viewed a few videos,” he said. It also highlights that children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable, with high exposure potential leading to adverse neonatal outcomes including increased rates of stillbirth and premature birth.
“All this electrical waste, in particular battery waste, is ending up effectively dumped in these depositories where standards are not high and where they can intermingle which can lead to these fire incidents.”