As the number of adults estimated to vape in Great Britain continues to rise, from four-and-a-half million in 2022 to more than five million in 2023, concerns have emerged about the negative impact of improperly disposing of single-use or disposable vapes. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) reported responding to more than 200 fires caused by lithium batteries, as found in disposable vapes, in the past two years.
Recycling Challenges with Disposable Vapes
Campaigners attribute the difficulty in safely disposing of vapes to the materials and chemicals used in their production, including lithium batteries. While refillable vapes and e-cigarettes allow for the removal and recycling of the battery, disposable vapes prove more challenging as the lithium batteries are enclosed within the casing, making them difficult to remove.
Research published in 2023 by the not-for-profit organisation Material Focus revealed that only 17% of disposable vapes are recycled, with an estimated five million disposable vapes discarded each week in the UK.
Risks of Improper Disposal
The LFB emphasizes that lithium batteries and electricals with hidden lithium batteries should not be placed in the same bins as regular rubbish or recycling due to the risk of the battery exploding and catching fire if damaged. Fires at landfill sites have been caused by batteries thrown away in household bins, compacted in waste lorries, or stored in landfill. These battery-started fires are “time consuming, and require a high level of resources” to extinguish, according to the LFB.
Recycling Options for Disposable Vapes
Many retailers offer take-back services for disposable vapes, allowing customers to drop their vapes into a special bin in store. Londoners can check their postcode on websites such as Material Focus’ Recycle Your Electricals and the London Recycles scheme to find nearby recycling points in shops.
Some councils also provide recycling points at household recycling centres across London boroughs, but residents should check their local council’s website to confirm the availability of this service in their area.
Long-Term Solutions and Government Action
In 2022, London Mayor Sadiq Khan informed London Assembly Members that the ReLondon partnership was working to increase access to vape recycling in flats by including waste bins for small electricals in some communal bin stores, resulting in a reduction of these items in residual waste.
The previous Conservative government announced changes to the rules around vapes, including a ban on disposable vapes, set to be introduced in April 2025. However, this Tobacco and Vapes Bill had not become law before parliament was dissolved ahead of the July general election. The new Labour government stated its intention to introduce its own Tobacco and Vapes Bill, with details outlined in this year’s King Speech, but no mention was made of a ban on disposable vapes.
According to BBC London, ministers from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs are reviewing proposals to restrict the sale and supply of disposable vapes before setting out their next steps.
In the meantime, safety experts and council workers continue to urge vapers in the capital to recycle disposable vapes safely, rather than binning them.
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