UK Waste Companies Propose £5 Vape Deposit as 6 Million Are Still Thrown Away Weekly
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 1
UK Waste Companies Propose £5 Vape Deposit as 6 Million Are Still Thrown Away Weekly
2 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 1
A £5 refundable charge on vapes is being pushed by UK waste companies, which say current take-back systems are failing to stop devices being dumped in bins or littered.
Hundreds of thousands of discarded vapes still reach waste facilities each week hidden in general rubbish, the Environmental Services Association said, creating fire risks and wasting recoverable materials.
About 6 million vapes are still thrown away each week, down from 8.2 million before the disposable-vape ban a year ago, according to the Local Government Association.
Biffa has floated the £5 figure as large enough to change behaviour, but vape industry representatives warn a deposit could drive buyers toward illicit sellers who ignore the rules.
The debate now shifts to enforcement: local authorities want reusable devices that mimic disposables targeted as a loophole, while ministers say retailers will be held to account for missing recycling bins.
Is a £5 deposit the answer to the UK's vape crisis, or should 'reusable' loophole products be banned instead?
Will a £5 vape deposit curb pollution, or will it simply fuel a dangerous and unregulated black market?