The hose you use every day could be the one that matters most.

Recycling sites need water every day,  for spot dust suppression, yard cleaning and general washdown. But in an emergency, having a reliable water supply already positioned around the site can become considerably more important.

In August 2026, around 800 tonnes of recyclable waste were involved in three separate recycling-site fires in Milton Keynes, Eynesbury and Corby, with the incidents breaking out within 24 hours of one another.

At Eynesbury, around 200 tonnes of mixed recyclable waste caught fire. In Corby, around 500 tonnes were involved, while between 50 and 100 tonnes were reported to be burning at Milton Keynes.

Against a backdrop of prolonged hot and dry conditions, it was a stark reminder of the challenges facing recycling and waste operators — but heat is only part of the story.

The risk is changing

Lithium-ion batteries have become another significant problem within the waste stream.

Research published by Material Focus reported more than 1,200 battery fires in UK bin lorries and waste sites in a single year, an increase of 71% from 700 in 2022.

The ignition source is not always obvious. Lithium-ion batteries can be hidden inside everyday items such as:

• Power tools
• Vapes
• Toys
• Electric toothbrushes
• Earbuds and other small electrical items

When batteries are damaged or crushed during collection or processing, they can ignite. Combine that with dry conditions, combustible material, dust, machinery and stockpiled waste, and fire prevention becomes an increasingly important part of site management.

So what does a hose reel have to do with it?

Quite a lot, potentially.

Recycling sites already use water for dust suppression, yard cleaning and washdown. A correctly specified fixed hose reel simply puts that water where it is needed, with the hose safely stored and ready for use.

• No loose hose piled beside a tap.
• No dragging 30 or 40 metres of hose across the yard before every job.
• No searching for equipment when water is needed quickly.
• A known, fixed water point that can be incorporated into everyday site procedures.

The principle is already reflected in UK fire-prevention guidance and in Fire Prevention Plans used by waste and recycling operators.

The Environment Agency lists hose reels as a form of manual fire-suppression equipment within its Fire Prevention Plan guidance. Recent waste-site Fire Prevention Plans also describe strategically positioned hose reels providing coverage to areas where combustible and flammable materials are stored.

For example, a 2025 Fire Prevention Plan for M G Skip Hire & Recycling describes hose reels positioned to provide coverage to combustible and flammable storage areas. Other current waste-site plans similarly include fixed hose reels as part of wider suppression arrangements.

Installed for the everyday. Ready for the unexpected.

This does not mean that a general-purpose water reel automatically replaces a dedicated fire-hose installation or engineered fire-suppression system.

Fire-suppression equipment must be appropriate to the site, its Fire Prevention Plan and the risks involved. The Environment Agency also states that the design, installation and maintenance of suppression equipment should be covered by an appropriate third-party certification scheme where required.

But there is a very sensible principle behind using well-positioned industrial hose reels:

A heavy-duty water reel may spend most of its working life controlling dust, cleaning machinery or washing down the yard. At the same time, it keeps a substantial length of hose organised, accessible and connected to a known water supply.

One installation. Multiple jobs.

• Dust suppression: dampen working areas, stockpiles and roadways.
• Site washdown: clean machinery, vehicles and hard-standing areas.
• Better hose management: keep long lengths of hose stored away from traffic and pedestrian routes.
• Faster access to water: fixed reels can put a usable water supply exactly where it is needed.
• Emergency preparedness: where correctly specified and incorporated into the site's fire procedures, hose reels can form part of wider manual suppression arrangements.

With recycling-site fires continuing to make headlines and battery-related fires remaining a serious issue across the waste stream, it may be worth asking one very simple question:

Because the hose you use every day could be the one that matters most.

Important: Hose reels intended to form part of a site's fire-suppression arrangements must be correctly specified, installed and maintained for that purpose and should be considered as part of the site's overall fire risk assessment and Fire Prevention Plan.