Disposable vapes littered around the island an ‘absolute menace’

Sarah Warr, who does several beach cleans a week, said that even in winter, when people spend less time outdoors, there are still a lot of disposable vapes left on the ground around the island.

But the lack of places to leave them to be recycled could be part of the problem.

‘The only place to dispose of them is at the Household Waste & Recycling Centre, but there should be more bins or drop-off points so it’s easier for people, and the vapes don’t end up on the beaches,’ she said.

There is very little legislation concerning vapes but the States recently directed that an enabling law should be drafted to increase regulation.

‘I wholeheartedly agree that disposable vapes should be banned,’ said Ms Warr.

‘They are an absolute menace to get rid of – even worse than cigarette butts.’

She added that the number found on the beach always increased during the warmer months, but the numbers thrown out of car windows or dropped elsewhere around the island remained the same and was always high.

Environmental campaigner Richard Lord said that disposable vapes had a big impact on the environment and were difficult to dispose of safely. He suggested cigarette butt-like bins for disposable vapes.

‘I find disposable vapes so frequently on the beaches but also on the side of the road, often crushed by cars,’ he said.

‘I am very much in favour of them being banned. The complex make-up of them means they are very difficult to recycle, and people do not dispose of them in a safe and caring manner.’

He added that he did not oppose refillable and rechargeable vapes as they became litter much less frequently and had less impact on the environment.

Waste minimisation and sustainability officer Douglas Button encouraged any businesses selling vapes to provide a ‘take back’ scheme under which users would be able to take in their old vapes when buying new ones.

‘People who do use disposable vapes are encouraged to use the drop-off points already provided,’ he said.

‘Installing further bins requires permission as to their location and agreement for additional funds to cover the costs of managing them.

‘Vapes should never be thrown away in household recycling or general waste, as the lithium batteries they contain can ignite when compacted and cause serious risk to staff handling waste and recycling, as well as damage to critical infrastructure.

‘We would encourage people to choose re-usable items where possible instead of single use, as this helps to reduce the volume of waste you produce.’

The Guernsey Press understands that some vape retailers have previously been charged extra to recycle vapes they have collected from customers and therefore no longer provide such a service.