CAMPAIGNERS are calling on retailers to show how seriously they take their role in protecting the environment by removing disposable barbecues from their shelves permanently.

The plea from Litter Free Dorset comes after all of Dorset’s major supermarkets announced they would stop selling disposable barbecues as fire safety alerts reached their highest level possible across the whole of Dorset.

The extreme temperatures have led to dry conditions which, in turn, produce and ideal atmosphere for fire to spread.

Recently there have been huge fires near Blandford, Swanage, Corfe Castle, Winfrith Newburgh, Dorchester, Bridport and Studland Heath – with the latter likely caused by a disposable barbecue according to fire services.

A spokesperson for Litter Free Dorset said: “We at Litter Free Dorset are delighted to see that major retailers have made the decision to do the right thing and remove disposable barbecues from sale. We know that several have taken this step as a temporary measure, and our campaign is calling on all retailers to go a step further and show how seriously they take their role in protecting the environment, by making the removal of disposable barbecues permanent.”

As previously reported, there have been a large number of calls to ban disposable barbecues with Litter Free Dorset ‘redoubling’ their campaign saying they posed an unquestionable risk to wildlife and public safety, and by reminding locals and holiday makers alike to bring a picnic not a barbecue.

This has also coincided with Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service revealing they have attended 180 fires in the open in the first 10 days of August – a 429 per cent increase on the same period last year.

They added: “While the risk of wildfire is currently dangerously high due to the extreme weather conditions, disposable barbecues pose equally high risk to the safety of both people and our environment. They are single use, cannot be recycled, millions will end up in landfill, and we have seen the injury they can cause people when not used responsibly.

“Retailers must recognise that their customers want to do better for the environment, so we are asking the big supermarkets in particular to lead by example.”