Key Points:
·Ineffective Ban: Post-ban data shows a rise in vapes found in general recycling, with an estimated one million devices improperly disposed of monthly.
·Increased Hazards & Costs: Lithium batteries in vapes cause fires in waste trucks and facilities, costing the UK waste industry an estimated £1 billion annually.
·Industry Dispute: Vape trade associations argue the ban is working and blame illegal markets, while waste managers cite new reusable products designed to circumvent the rules.
·Circumventing Regulation: The ban led to a surge in new, cheap reusable vapes that consumers often discard like disposables, complicating recycling efforts.
·Proposed Solution: Enhanced home collection of e-waste alongside regular recycling is suggested to improve proper disposal rates.
2Firsts, September 9th - according to BBC, a waste firm executive says the ban on disposable vapes is failing to prevent millions from being discarded incorrectly, continuing to cause major disruptions in the waste industry.
"We're seeing more vapes in our system than ever before—causing more problems and more fires," said Roger Wright, Biffa's strategy and packaging manager.
He explained that vape companies have introduced cheap reusable devices, but instead of refilling and recycling them, people are simply throwing them away and buying new ones.
Although a vape industry spokesperson claimed the June ban has been successful and attributed any increase in discarded devices to black market activity, data suggests otherwise.
In the two months before the ban, Biffa’s recycling facilities found around 200,000 incorrectly disposed vapes per month on average. In the three months after the ban, the average rose by 3%.
Biffa, which handles nearly a fifth of the UK’s waste, estimates that industry-wide, about one million vapes per month are entering general recycling—partly due to cheap pre-ban stock sales, but also because of the industry’s response.
Major vape firms launched reusable models resembling popular disposables at similar prices. Though equipped with replaceable pods and USB ports, Wright suspects many are still being discarded. "We see a lot of these so-called reusables in bins because people use them as disposables," he said.
The ban also spurred a surge in new vape varieties as companies attempted to circumvent regulations. "Innovation has gone crazy to get around the ban. Ironically, this makes recycling much harder," Wright added.
However, Marcus Sexton of the Independent British Vape Trade Association maintains that the ban is working, citing data showing consumers are refilling and recharging devices. He suggested that if Biffa’s findings are accurate, the problem likely stems from illegal disposable products.
Vapes contain lithium batteries that can ignite when crushed—earning them the nickname "bombs in bins." They should be returned to stores or specialized recycling centers, not placed in general waste or recycling.
In June alone, Biffa dealt with 60 fires caused by vapes and other small electronics. Addressing such issues costs the UK waste industry an estimated £1 billion annually.
The disposable vape ban was intended to reduce the millions of devices thrown away incorrectly. Those mixed with general waste (often incinerated) cause fewer issues than those in recycling streams.
Wright believes one solution is to collect vapes and electronics directly from households alongside regular waste and recycling. Some local councils already do this.
A government spokesperson stated: "Single-use vapes get kids hooked on nicotine and blight our high streets—that’s why we’ve taken tough action and banned them." Retailers are now required to provide recycling bins, and an upcoming circular economy strategy aims to improve the reuse and recycling of electrical equipment.
