Failure to recycle vapes sparks fire risk warning

A vape recycling bin was installed at Longue Hougue earlier this year in a bid to tackle the problem, which waste minimisation officer Ben Henry said had been fairly well used.

‘However we suspect we are only seeing a very small proportion of the vapes being sold in Guernsey, and we would encourage anyone buying these products to be careful how they dispose of them, as they do pose a potential risk,’ he said.

Recycle Week starts today and is aiming to raise awareness about items that can be recycled, but often are not. That includes vapes, as well as aerosols, spray bottles and ready meal trays.

Last week, the UK government launched a consultation into restricting the sale of vapes, with the UK Health Secretary vowing to focus on the way they’re marketed to children, ‘presenting them like sweets’.

Among the options being considered is a complete ban on disposable vapes.

Vapes contain lithium ion batteries, which are more commonly seen in rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops.

Concerns have been expressed that vape batteries are ending up in landfill at a time when there is a global shortage of lithium, which is needed for greener options such as electric car batteries, and there is a risk of batteries overheating, exploding, or setting light to flammable rubbish.

‘While we have not had any fire incidents at the waste transfer station that have been specifically attributed to vapes, we have had a number that we believe were caused by a battery igniting, and vapes do contain batteries,’ Mr Henry said.

‘They not only pose a risk to Guernsey Waste staff and facilities, but also to anyone else who may have to handle this waste.’

‘We understand that some retailers are providing a drop off point for used vapes and we would encourage anyone selling these items to provide that facility,’ Mr Henry said.

‘That way any users can take along their old vapes when they go to buy a new one, which would be the ideal situation.’

Vapes dropped off at Longue Hougue will be collected by a contractor, who will dismantle them.

‘The plastics get sent for energy recovery, metal items are recycled and the lithium batteries are shipped to a specialist facility for recycling,’ Mr Henry said.

A UK government background report said that disposable vapes were not easy to recycle, as vaping materials are made up of many components, including batteries, metal parts, rubber seals and a glass sleeve. Some bits can be recycled while others cannot.

‘Most disposable vapes are not designed to be taken apart easily,’ it said.

How vapes work

E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, work by heating a solution of water, flavouring, propylene glycol, and, typically, nicotine, to create a vapour that the user inhales.

Unlike conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, do not involve burning and thus do not produce carbon monoxide, tar or smoke.

Disposable vape pens are non-rechargeable devices that typically come ready-filled with 2ml of e-liquid (approximately 600 ‘puffs’) and a maximum of 2% nicotine. A typical disposable vape pen, designed for single-use, contains plastic, copper and a lithium battery.

UK research in 2022 stated that 14m. single-use vapes were bought each month. It also found that over 50% of single-use vapes were thrown away. That is about 1.3m. a week in the UK. The vapes use 10 tonnes of lithium a year, equivalent to the batteries inside 1,200 electric vehicles.