A new fire prevention system could be installed at a recycling centre in Eastleigh following a rise in fires caused by lithium batteries.
The move comes as lithium batteries, now found in a wide range of everyday products, continue to pose an increasing fire risk when incorrectly disposed of.
The new fire suppression and prevention system will require the installation of external plant and machinery at the Biffa recycling centre in Tower Lane.
The state-of-the-art equipment is designed for situations where traditional sprinkler and spray systems do not offer sufficient protection.
Fully automated, the system does not rely on human intervention to detect a fire.
Additionally, the system uses infrared heat detection cameras that monitor stockpiles and identifies heat spots before they become visible.
If early signs of a fire are detected, the system automatically deploys water cannons, allowing action to be taken before flames take hold.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service recorded 156 such incidents, an increase of 64 on the previous year, and 80 more than the year before that.
Over the past three years, Portsmouth has experienced 39 battery-related fires, with Cosham particularly affected, recording 11 incidents in 2025 alone.
Since 2022, Southampton has seen 24 similar fires, while the Isle of Wight has recorded 18.