Greater Manchester calls for disposable vape ban and DRS

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Collection and Transport, Environment and Energy, Legislation and Regulation

GMCA has supported the Local Government Association’s (LGAs) recent call for a ban on disposable vapes, citing the fire risk the devices cause when they enter the waste stream and environmental and health grounds.

GMCA is the largest joint waste disposal authority in the country and says it handles around 1.1 million tonnes of municipal waste each year. Chair of the GMCA’s Waste and Recycling Committee, Alan Quinn, wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Thérèse Coffey, to express his support for a ban on disposable vapes.

As the EU has proposed a ban by 2026 and France is rolling out a ban in December 2023, the LGA has said a UK ban must come into effect “rapidly” so more disposable vapes don’t come into the UK as other markets close.

GMCA has also proposed the government introduce a DRS, which would see users receive credit in return for their used vapes, to capture and recycle the lithium contained within them.

Lithium is a finite resource that must be conserved as we phase out fossil fuels and move towards a cleaner, greener future.

Councillor Tom Ross, GMCA lead for the Environment, Waste and Recycling, commented: “Local councils are spending more of taxpayers’ money on putting out fires across our waste facilities and repairing damaged equipment. With 1.3 million vapes thrown away every week, the situation is unsustainable and will only get worse unless swift action is taken by government.

“Beyond being a highly flammable material, lithium is a finite resource that must be conserved as we phase out fossil fuels and move towards a cleaner, greener future.”

The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) says disposable vapes help smokers quit and can be recycled. Director General of the UKVIA John Dunne, told Circular Online it’s “no coincidence” that the decline in smoking has coincided with the rise in popularity of disposable vapes due to their ease of use and accessibility.

According to a report by ITV, only 30% of these disposable vapes are being recycled, which means their critical lithium batteries are being lost to landfill.

Putting vapes or other battery-powered items in the bin poses a real fire risk.

Commenting on the GMCA’s announcement, Dan Carolan, Contract Director at SUEZ UK, said: “Putting vapes or other battery-powered items in the bin poses a real fire risk. We’ve seen this play out in Scotland, where last year a materials recovery facility (MRF) in Aberdeen like the one we operate in Greater Manchester was severely damaged by a fire that was most likely caused by a discarded battery.

“Disposable vapes and other electrical items should either be returned to the retailer for recycling, or taken to your local recycling centre.”

Tagged disposable vapes, DRS, GMCA