Tipner fire: High hopes TJ Waste site will be up and running again following devastating fire

The fire last month (July) completely gutted the two-storey building off Tipner Lane in a fire which is thought to have been caused by lithium-ion batteries which had not been disposed of correctly. The fire also caused widespread disruption across the city with the smoke blowing across the M275 leading to its closure while firefighters tackled the blaze.

Now the team at TJ Waste are working hard to being the site back into operation again for its customers within the next six months.

John Gosling, TJ’s Managing Director said: “Our materials recovery facility [MRF] at Tipner is closed following the fire, with customers diverted to our MRF at Quartremaine Road, Portsmouth, or our other MRFs across the region.

“Structural surveys have been carried out at the Tipner site; the roof and external cladding was badly damaged in the fire and will be replaced. The aim is to have the site operational within six months.

“It is important that the Tipner MRF is operational as soon as possible because the facility, where commercial and domestic skip waste is recycled, is an important part of the regional resource and waste management supply chain.

“We are grateful to the statutory bodies, including Portsmouth City Council and Environment Agency, for their positive assistance in the post-incident process, including granting an extension of opening hours at our other facilities to help with extra demand.

“What the fire has shown is the dangers of lithium-ion batteries being discarded incorrectly. While generally safe, lithium-ion batteries can pose risks if damaged, improperly charged or exposed to extreme conditions, potentially leading to overheating, fires or explosions. This is why batteries must be disposed of correctly, as discarding them along with other waste results in major risk of fire, especially if they’ve been damaged.’