There has been a lot of talk of outlawing single-use vapes on environmental grounds – especially in Scotland, where a government-commissioned review of disposables shortlisted a ban as one of nine possible policy options.
While the industry recognises more needs to be done to minimise the impact of single-use vapes, to outright remove them from the market would a misstep.
Disposables are one of the most popular and effective smoking cessation tools available, with their affordability and ease-of-use making them instrumental in bringing the UK smoking rate down to an all-time low.
Further, a new report from leading waste management specialist Waste Experts confirmed that single-use vapes ‘can be recycled’ and ‘can achieve recycling and recovery targets’.
Stewart Price, Scheme Manager for Waste Experts, said the real environmental challenge is a lack of available collection systems and a lack of knowledge on the recyclability of these products.
As much as it is critical for the industry to meet its environmental obligations, it’s also important for consumers to dispose of their vapes correctly. Please refer to this guide from ‘recycle your electricals’ to find your nearest vape recycling point.
