Litter Free Dorset is working with Southern Co-op and W&S Recycling to dismantle and recycle 8,000 disposable barbecues as a reminder of how destructive they can be to the environment.

Weighing in at over seven tonnes, the disposable barbecues were taken off the shelves following the devastating heathland fires of 2022 and campaigns from Litter Free Dorset (LFD) and the Urban Heaths Partnership.

Southern Co-op, which has permanently removed disposable barbecues from sale at its stores, was keen to make sure its barbecues were disposed of responsibly and approached LFD to help find the best use for them, and this ambitious event is the result of that partnership.

Emma Teasdale, Litter Free Dorset co-ordinator, said: "Disposable barbecues pose a grave danger to Dorset's natural environment and wildlife; they are also single-use and incredibly wasteful.

"Of course, we want people to enjoy their summer and make the most of our beautiful county, but this should not be at the cost of the environment. We are asking people to make the change by avoiding single-use items including disposable barbecues, and to look for reusable alternatives."

The event to dismantle and recycle 8,000 disposable barbecues is being held on Thursday, April 20 at the W&S Material Recycling Facility in Poole.

The barbecues will be dismantled by volunteers and the component parts will be dismantled by volunteers and recycled by W&S, the recycling contractor for Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Councils.

The plastic sleeves, paper liners, and cardboard outer trays will be processed with household recycling; the metal grill sheet and foil trays will go to W&S' scrap metal site, and the six tonnes of charcoal Briquettes are being donated to Swanage Railway for use on the Swanage Steam Train.

Jason Taylor of W&S Recycling said: "Canford Heath is less than a mile from our site, so we are well aware of the effects of heathland fires on our local environment.

"We are delighted to be working with Litter Free Dorset on this fantastic project to recycle and repurpose 8,000 disposable barbecues and raise awareness about the environmental impact of these products."

Millions of disposable barbecues are sold every year in the UK for as little as £1, but many people don't realise the impact they have on the environment. They are single use and almost impossible to recycle after use, so will often end up being incinerated, left on the beach, or in our environment.

Mark Smith, chief executive of Southern Co-op, said: "Sadly we have witnessed the devastating impact that disposable barbecues can have to both people and wildlife if they are not disposed of responsibly.

"Removing them from sale was an important move to protect our local wildlife and ecosystems as part of our longstanding commitment to reduce our impact on the environment.

"However, we also needed to be able to dispose of them responsibly, so it's thanks to Litter Free Dorset and a host of dedicated volunteers, this is going to be made possible. Thank you."

The summer of 2022 was one of the hottest on record, and the driest since 1976, and Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service attended 123 heathland fires across the county during last year.

The Studland Heath fire in August last year was likely caused by a disposable barbecue and not only put wildlife at risk but also visitors, residents, and the 90 fire fighters who tackled the blaze.

Heathlands are home to a fantastic variety of wildlife, supporting a unique mix of plants, birds, reptiles, and invertebrates, some of which are extremely rare. Much of our heathland habitat has been lost – with only one sixth of it remaining in the UK – so we must work together to protect this precious environment.

Litter Free Dorset is calling on all retailers to show that they take their commitment to the environment seriously and stop selling disposable barbecues.

Retailers such as Southern Co-op, Aldi, Waitrose, and Marks & Spencer who have permanently removed disposable barbecues from sale, are showing that responsible retailers can lead the way and be the catalyst for widespread behaviour change.