At least 1.3 million disposable vapes end up in landfill each week in the UK, posing a significant danger to the environment, as well as a health risk to those who use them.
The council’s Policy Lead for Climate Change and Environment Services, Councillor Ross Moreland, said: “According to Action on Smoking and Health, vaping among the 11-17 year old age group doubled over the last year, likely due to the growth in cheap, disposable single use vapes. Not only does this pose serious health issues in the future, the environmental impact is massive.
“The large majority of these vapes are not being recycled as they should be and are instead being disposed of in household waste.
A single disposable vape can take up to 1,000 years to degrade. This means, for just a week's worth of thrown-away vapes it will take 1.3 billion years for them to decompose. On top of that, disposable vapes can leak toxic chemicals, such a lithium. The environmental impact of single-use vapes is really worrying and this is something that needs to be urgently addressed.”
The decision arose from a motion at today’s meeting of Argyll and Bute Council. Councillor Moreland proposed the motion and Councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess seconded it.
To recycle single use vapes safely, visit your local recycling centre. To find your nearest centre, visit Household rubbish and recycling (argyll-bute.gov.uk).