New research from the Recycling Campaign group has found that five million single-use vapes are thrown away in the UK every week, a fourfold jump compared to 2022.
Material Focus, the not-for-profit organization that carried out the research, said eight vapes are thrown away every second in the UK and the lithium found in these products has the potential to produce 5,000 electric car batteries a year.
Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, said that since last year, “the issue of disposable vapes has spiraled further out of control.”
“Disposable vapes are a serious contender for the most environmentally wasteful, environmentally damaging and dangerous consumer products ever created.”
Not only do discarded vapes create environmental waste, but they also pose a public safety hazard because their lithium batteries can combust when stressed or damaged.
Material Focus estimates the cost of collecting and recycling vapes at up to £200m. The non-profit group suggested that this cost should be borne by vape manufacturers, importers, and retailers.
In July, reports emerged that the UK government had no plans to limit the sale of vapes to prescription only. Conservative MP Dr Neil Hudson asked the House of Commons about the “potential merits” of restricting vape sales by prescription.
Neil O’Brien from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said in a written statement: “A formal assessment has not yet been carried out. There are currently no medicinal vapes approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency products. Therefore, the government is not currently considering making vape products prescription drugs.”
Meanwhile, the UK’s vape recycling facilities are “far from where we need them to be”. It needs to be as easy to recycle as it is to buy,” Mr Butler said.
Currently, a YouGov survey shows that 33% of 16 to 18-year-olds who use vape throw it in the bin.
Mr Butler said: “Unless disposable vape manufacturers, importers, and retailers truly adhere to and fund legal environmental responsibilities, calls for a ban on the sale of vapes will only grow stronger.”
Earlier this month, reports emerged that an increasing number of British 16 to 24-year-olds are taking up vaping, with a sharp rise in the proportion of young women. Deborah Arnott, chief executive of the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), said the data showed a “worrying increase in vaping among teenagers and young people”.
In the UK, it is illegal for under-18s to buy vape and vape juice.
Material Focus says that only 17% of people report recycling a single-use vape, while a whopping 73% dispose of it in the trash and a paltry 1% dispose of it by flushing it down the toilet.
VECEE urges everyone to dispose of disposable vapes correctly to minimize the impact on the environment. Here VECEE also sorts out the factors and techniques that affect the lifespan of disposable e-cigarettes, as well as how to deal with disposable vapes after use. If you are interested, please click the link to view it.
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