Landfill Tax Hikes In The UK:

Why Shredding and Incineration Are on the Rise – Here's Why Fire Suppression is Vital

The UK’s Landfill Tax is about to hit new heights, and for landfill owners, that means one thing – finding cheaper ways to deal with waste. From April 2025, the standard Landfill Tax rate will jump to £126.15 per tonne, while the lower rate (for less polluting materials) will rise to £4.05 per tonne. That’s a steep increase from the current rates, and it’s forcing operators across the waste and recycling sector to rethink their processes.

For many, the answer lies in shredding and incinerating waste instead of sending it straight to landfill. But while this shift might save money, it also brings some serious fire risks — and that’s where Fireward’s automatic fire suppression systems come into play.

Why Shredding and Incineration are Replacing Landfill

Landfill is expensive, heavily regulated, and increasingly unpopular thanks to environmental pressures. By shredding waste, landfill operators can reduce the volume of waste, making it cheaper and easier to transport for further processing or disposal. Shredded material can also be prepared for incineration in energy recovery facilities (ERFs), which turns waste into usable heat and electricity — a win-win for the bottom line and sustainability targets.

But it’s not just about cost. The UK’s focus on circular economy goals and waste reduction targets means landfill operators are under more pressure than ever to cut down on what they send to landfill and explore greener alternatives. Shredding and incineration tick both boxes.

The Hidden Fire Risk in Waste Shredders

This shift to static plant is good news for efficiency, but it’s bad news for fire safety. Industrial shredders are high-risk machines that process a chaotic mix of materials, from plastics and wood to textiles and paper. All it takes is a spark, friction, or a bit of trapped heat, and you’ve got a fire waiting to kick off.

Here’s why shredders are such a fire risk:

• Dust Build-Up – Shredding creates tonnes of fine dust, which is highly flammable.
• Hot Components – The blades and motors generate serious heat during operation.
• Flammable Waste – Many materials going through the shredder (plastics, rubber, foam) burn fiercely if ignited.
• Long Operating Hours – Many shredders run continuously with little downtime, giving fire risks more time to develop unnoticed.

In short, shredders are a perfect storm for fire hazards — and that’s a real problem for landfill operators trying to cut costs, not rack up repair bills or suffer operational downtime.

Automatic Fire Suppression: A Must-Have for Shredder Safety

This is where Fireward’s automatic fire suppression systems come in. Our systems are designed specifically for high-risk machinery like industrial shredders and balers. Our systems can detect a fire in seconds with our Pneumatic Detection Tube, and then automatically release suppression agents to knock down the fire before it spreads.

We offer:

• Single Agent – Dry powder is used as it has superior coverage inside a machine/engine bay.

• Dual Agent – Combining powder and liquid, you get the powder's coverage and knock down effect as well as the cooling of superheated components, preventing reignition with the wet chemical agent

• Pneumatic fire detection – No electricity needed, just reliable, fast-acting tubing that bursts at the point of fire.

Every system we install on shredders comes with industry-leading approvals, so you know you’re getting proven protection. Plus, with Fireward, your suppression system stays ready for action, day or night.

Why Choose Fireward?

At Fireward, we specialise in providing industry-leading fire suppression solutions designed to protect machinery in demanding environments.

Our systems are built to detect and extinguish fires quickly, minimising damage and downtime. To learn more about how we can protect your operations, contact our team today:

T: 0800 151 0249
E: info@fireward.co.uk

OR Get a quote here