They’re often a hit amongst students because of their portability and low price. But in recent times the disposable BBQ has come under scrutiny for it’s negative impacts on the environment.
Disposable BBQ’s are commonplace in parks and recreational spaces all over the UK during summertime. On the face of things they are a great idea, offering a portable, low cost option for those that want to enjoy a BBQ in a scenic public space.
However, the aluminium non-biodegradable design is a massive drawback that is hard to look beyond. That being said, they are extremely convenient and do not require the usual tough clean a traditional BBQ has to go through after a long day of summer grilling.
They are pretty small in size making it unsuitable and inefficient for large gatherings. They are also the most basic of all BBQ’s with no heat control potentially making your sausages a prime target for incineration.
One major drawback of the disposable BBQ is its safety.
Their portability may seem great on the face of things but when paired with their lack of safety features and instability this can be a recipe for a wildfire. According to the Home Office 4% of accidental fires are caused by them.
If you are going to be using one this summer it is vital to douse it in cool water before disposing. When improperly disposed of, these BBQ’s have been known to melt plastic and set fire to litter in bins.
In January 2023, a movement planning to ban the aluminium BBQ’s for good had over 27,000 signatures. The petition ended up grinding to a holt after failing to reach 100,000 signatures. This lack of Government action hasn’t stopped some companies taking matters into their own hands.
Supermarket chains Aldi and Waitrose have cut ties with disposable BBQ’s for good hoping to cut down on tonnes of waste materials.
Over this same period of scrutiny towards disposables new Eco disposable BBQ’s have been spotted on shelves. They emit lower levels of Co2 while being fully biodegradable which is an absolute upgrade on it’s former and definitely a lower cost option!
If you value sustainability, good quality of food and the environment over a couple of quid and convenience then you should avoid disposables at all costs. A longer term option is the mini portable BBQ.
They come in all different shapes and sizes but more importantly you can use them again and again. They’ll almost definitely save you money in the long run as they are available for as cheap as £15 on Amazon.