Vape recycling bins are installed at 20 of North Yorkshire County Council’s household waste recycling centers in the UK. At the same time, a study showed that the purchase of single-use vapes in the UK has doubled and the amount of waste has increased fourfold.
According to Letsrecyclec on 11 October. North Yorkshire County Council launched its vape disposal scheme ahead of the National Recycling Week (14-20 October). Vape recycling bins have been installed in 20 domestic waste recycling centers (HWRCs) in the area.
These collected vapes will be transported to recycling facilities for disassembly, including removal of lithium batteries for processing, and recycling of metals and plastics. Improper handling of vapes can lead to fire and waste of precious resources.
This year, according to Focus research, the British public bought 7.7 million single-use vapes a week, a figure that has doubled since 2022. In addition, the study also found that five million sexual vapes are discarded every week, equivalent to eight per second, a four-fold increase from 2022.
Greg White White, North Yorkshire County Council Waste Services Executive Committee (Greg White), said:
- “This exciting new initiative aims to ensure that everyone who uses vapes knows how to dispose of them in the right way.” Vapes cannot be recycled or disposed of in curbside bins or boxes at home. Discarded vapes can cause great damage or serious injury.”
- “In August, we also introduced coffee capsule recycling bins to our recycling centers, hoping to continue expanding the types of items accepted at our recycling centers. These measures demonstrate our commitment to responsible recycling and reducing our carbon footprint.”
