🔥 RED Alert in the UK:Why your recycling business can no longer do without early fire detection
A company fire leaves lasting scars. Looking back to 2024, in the UK alone, the number of incidents caused by lithium-ion batteries increased by 70% compared to 2022. That's more than 1,200 fires. In 2025, recyclers, metal processors and warehouses in the UK continue to face significant fire risks. Fortunately, there is RED, the effective hatch detection camera system from Kooi Camera Surveillance.
Always a high risk
Picture this: it is the middle of the night. The shed is deserted, the piles of rubbish still fuming from a long summer working day. No one notices how deep in the heart of that heap a small flame is forming. No smoke, no alarm, no panic - yet. By the time anyone notices anything, it is too late. This is not a nightmare. This is the reality for countless recyclers in the UK. And it is happening more often than ever. While there are no specific forecasts for the number of fires in these sectors, recent trends and incidents suggest an increased risk.
🔥 Recycling companies
Recycling companies in the UK have quite a worrying fire record. The issue of fires in this sector was highlighted back in 2017. Recommendations such as installing sprinklers and training staff in firefighting and evacuation procedures were made then. Still, recycling companies remain vulnerable as more and more high-risk material is stored and processes are still very complicated. (The Guardian ).
⚙️ Metal processors
Metal processing plants face specific fire risks. In March 2024, a fire broke out at Matrix Met Corp Ltd in Corby, leaving about 50 tonnes of waste material on fire. The fire service was quickly at the scene and got the situation under control, but the incident highlights the risks involved in metal processing and waste material storage.
📦 Warehousing
Warehouses and depots in the UK are showing an alarming increase in fire incidents. According to research by insurer Zurich UK, the number of fires in warehouses and bulk storage sites increased by a quarter in the year 2021-2022, from 256 to 322 incidents. Of particular concern is the increase in deliberate fires, which rose by 64% from 28 to 46 cases. Older buildings without modern fire protection systems contribute to this increased risk. (chubbfs.com+1ukfiremag.co.uk+1 )
🛡️Fire safety measures
To manage fire risks, stricter fire safety measures will be in place by 2025. These include a transition to European fire testing standards (BS EN 13501), and stricter requirements for the competence of fire risk assessors . Nevertheless, concerns remain about compliance and effectiveness of these measures in the aforementioned sectors. (midsummerfirepro.co.uk)
📊 2024: The year recycling fires broke records
So the numbers don't lie. In the London region alone, several major fires broke out at recycling centres in Morden, Southwark and Northolt. The common thread? Spontaneous ignition due to scalding or batteries carried unnoticed in the waste. The made-up damage:
▶️ In Southwark, 300 tonnes of rubbish caught fire.
▶️ In Northolt, 60 tonnes of household waste coalesced into a pile of rubble.
▶️ In Morden, 15 fire engines were needed to contain the damage.
💡 Enter: RED - Rising Early Detection by Kooi Camera Surveillance
Fire caused by scalding, it seems almost inevitable. But it isn't. Suppose you could stop fire even before there is a fire? With Kooi's RED, you can!
Kooi's RED detection system works with a 360° rotating thermal camera, covering an area of up to 70,000 m². Thanks to AI-driven trend analysis, the system detects minimal temperature deviations that may indicate scalding or incipient fire. This prevents false alarms and ensures you are only alerted in case of an actual threat. As soon as a deviation is detected, the images are transmitted live to the Cage Alarm Centre, where dispatchers make an assessment within seconds. In the event of danger, the alarm protocol is immediately triggered, which is different for each company. If required, the fire brigade is contacted. That means: no more fire engines in the middle of the night. No damage. No downtime. No danger to life.
RED neutralizes that bomb
✔️ Temperature detection to the degree
✔️ Automated alarm link with control room
✔️ Mobile as well as fixed solutions for every situation
✔️ Proven effective, KIWA-certified
✔️ Active in Europe - now ready for the UK
🚨 Why RED is exactly what the UK needs now
Recycling companies in the UK are at a crossroads. Tighter regulations, more electronic waste, and the rise of batteries in household waste are making the risks exponentially greater. Combine that with scalding - the latent danger of organic waste heating up internally - and you have a ticking time bomb on your premises.
🏭 Case closed? No. Case prevented!
As long as there is waste, there is a fire hazard. But with Cage RED by your side, you are not only prepared for it - you prevent it. Recycling companies in the Netherlands and Germany have been working with RED for years, and have seen drastic reductions in incidents.
The UK is the next step. And the need is clear: the fire won't wait.
🔚 Conclusion: RED is not a luxury. It is a necessity.
In an industry where one spark can cause tons of damage, prevention is golden. Kooi's RED offers UK recyclers the chance not just to detect fires, but to get ahead of them. And that difference can literally mean the difference between continuity and catastrophe.
Be faster than the fire. Choose RED.
Read all about it: https://247kooi.com/early-fire-detection
Get in touch today:
info@247kooi.com
+31 88 247 5615
Direct contact with our expert:
Tom Frölich | International Project Manager
Email: t.frölich@247kooi.com
Phone: +31 6 42 92 25 53
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