A 'CARELESS' resident almost caused a bin lorry to catch fire after putting electrical and chemical items in the wrong place.

Homeowners have been reminded to recycle responsibly after the incident, which occurred during the weekly rubbish collection in Woodstock on Tuesday.

Firefighters were scrambled after the truck's crew noticed smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle, preventing the scare from becoming more serious.

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It was soon established that electrical items and chemical DIY waste had been put in the general rubbish bins, rather than being disposed of separately.

Norman MacRae, West Oxfordshire District Council's cabinet member for environment, said: “Thanks to the quick action of the crew, what could have been an extremely hazardous situation has been successfully averted. 

“However, it is clearly publicised that batteries and electrical equipment must not be placed in the grey general bins and this careless and thoughtless act potentially put our crew in great danger.

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"Furthermore, the resulting delays to the collection caused added inconvenience to other members of the public. 

Oxford Mail:

“If you’re not sure how to dispose of an item, I would encourage any resident to check our website or get in touch to ask for guidance before disposing of it.”  

The council has issued a reminder that small electrical items, such as kettles and mobile phones, can be put in separate black boxes to be collected at the same time as other recycling.

West Oxfordshire residents should take larger items to Dix Pit household waste recycling centre in Witney.

Small batteries should be placed in an envelope on top of the recycling bin, while larger batteries should again be taken to Dix Pit