Vape/ Electronic cigarette Recycling
Vape e-waste has become a hugely talked about issue over the past few months and we've had a lot of enquiries. Here are a few points to explain how vapes are adding to the e-waste problem, and how vape producers and sellers can comply with their legal environmental obligations.
What makes the disposal of vapes such a significant concern?
● In the UK, we buy 500 million vapes a year and bin 156 million of them, equivalent to 3 million vapes binned every week. That includes single-use, rechargeable with a single-use chamber and rechargeable vapes. This is the equivalent of 22 football pitches worth of single use vapes ending up in landfills or incinerators.
● These vapes are crafted from some of the most valuable resources on Earth; Vape batteries contain lithium (vital component inside electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage batteries), aluminium, steel, copper, plastics which could be recycled, saving precious resources from being lost forever.
● The widespread littering of vapes can lead to environmental harm and put wildlife at risk. Harmful chemicals like battery acid, lithium, and nicotine can leak into the environment, posing a significant threat to nature.
● Vapes are considered hazardous waste due to safety concerns related to their lithium batteries, which can cause fires if damaged and improperly disposed of in general waste or recycling streams.
● Single-use vapes are often marketed as disposable, lacking proper communication or recycling options for the public.
● Instead of disposing of them in regular waste or household recycling bins, these vapes should be separately recycled.
● Companies involved in the production, import, distribution, and retail of single-use vapes must significantly enhance their efforts to fulfill their legal and financial obligations under UK waste electrical (WEEE) and portable battery regulations.
Who bears the responsibility ?
Disposable vapes fall under the category of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) This means they should be recycled at recycling centers.
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Vape Vape producers, importers and trade bodies have a legal responsibility to finance take-back of vapes for recycling.
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Vendors of vaping products hold a legal obligation to accept customers' used vapes for recycling and to inform their clients about this service.
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Vape users need to be aware that they should consistently recycle their vapes instead of disposing them in the rubbish bin.
Environment Agency update March 2023:Whole vapes should not be incinerated. They must be recycled.
