Veolia, together with vejp company Totally Wicked, has launched a system for recycling disposable vapes. The move comes after the UK government announced it will distribute e-cigarettes to one million smokers to reduce smoking in the country.
"By recycling and reusing them in other contexts, we can prevent nearly ten tons of lithium from ending up in the wrong place," Veolia writes in a press release.
Disposable models have become hugely popular in recent years. As previously reported by Vejpkollen, the trade association, among others UKVIA called for a sustainable solution Disposable models, as the name suggests, should be discarded once they are used up. This is in contrast to traditional e-cigarettes, which can be recharged and refilled many times before they need to be recycled.
"Every year, 143 million e-cigarettes end up in trash cans or on the ground" notes Veolia.
Largest company first out
The first to introduce the system is the large retailer Totally Wicked, which operates 154 vejpshops in the UK.
"We have placed collection boxes in 150 of our shops. You are free to dispose of all used e-cigarettes in them. This applies to the intended brand and model and regardless of whether they were purchased from us or not." Michael Saxton, CEO Totally Wicked on the company website.
"Must take responsibility"
According to Michael Saxton, who is also chairman of the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA), the initiative is an important step for the industry as a whole.
"We need to take responsibility for the products we make and sell. This is a concrete action. The aim is for sustainability to trickle down to all manufacturers and entrepreneurs operating in the e-cigarette industry," he told Lanchashire Busienss View magazine.
New EU rules affect disposable models
The EU has recently unveiled a plan to restrict trade in built-in lithium batteries. This could have an impact on the market for e-cigarettes, especially disposable models. According to the European Commission's proposal, built-in batteries must be easy to remove and recycle for the end user.
