The research, conducted and commissioned by Material Focus, found that 1.6bn batteries were thrown away in the past year – over 3,000 a minute, including 1.1bn electrical items containing lithium-ion batteries. “With more and more products containing lithium-ion batteries, and battery fires on the rise, it’s vital that we stop these fires and reduce the air pollution impact that they have on our local communities and the dangers they present to fire fighters and waste officers,” said executive director Scott Butler. Material Focus has released the findings at the start of its new ‘Stop Battery Fires’ campaign, which will be run with the National Fire Chiefs Council.