Fires Pose Severe Threat to Waste and Recycling Facilities

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Fires continued to be a major threat to waste and recycling facilities during 2020, said the latest report published by West Bloomfield, Michigan-based Fire Rover.

According to “4th Annual Reported Waste & Recycling Facility Fires US/CAN”, a total of 317 fire incidents were reported by waste and recycling industry in the U.S. and Canada. The number of fire incidents averaged 318 over the past five years. The industry had reported 365 and 345 fire incidents in 2018 and 2019 respectively. These fire incidents resulted in 23 reported injuries and three deaths, directly or indirectly, during the previous year.

Out of the 317 reported fire incidents in 2020, 158 occurred in waste paper and plastic processing facilities, followed by scrap metal facilities which accounted for 108 reported fires. The third largest number of fires of 20 was reported in facilities that process organics, the report noted. Also, facilities that process e-scrap reported 12 fire incidents.

The states which reported most number of fire incidents during the previous year included California, Ohio, Texas, New York, Florida, Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Pennsylvania.

The five-year cumulative data from 2016 to 2020 indicates that facilities that process waste, paper and plastic accounted for 49% of fire, followed by scrap metal processing facilities with 32% share.

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