Be responsible and recycle your vapes
Vapes, or e-cigarettes, have increased in popularity in recent years, but with over 3 million of them being discarded across the UK every week; 1.3 million of these being marketed as 'disposable', we want to remind residents of the dangers posed by incorrectly disposing of them in your household waste or recycling bin.
Councillor Linda Green, Chair of the South Tyne and Wear Waste Management Partnership, said:
"I really dislike the term 'disposable', as they are anything but. All vapes contain a battery, and if you throw them in your bin and they are collected by our crews, these batteries can be damaged during processing and spark, setting fire to any combustible materials around them. This is particularly hazardous in our waste facilities or in collection vehicles, where they can cause large fires and present a real danger to life.
"Vapes are fully recyclable, so I urge all residents using these devices to recycle them responsibly once they've finished using them."
Because vapes contain batteries, as well as copper and plastics, they are classed as Waste Electrical and Electrical Equipment (WEEE), and should be taken to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre to be recycled, or they can be taken to your nearest large supermarket, who have a legal obligation to take them from you for recycling.
Councillor Green added,
"We're not only find an increasingly volume of vapes in our waste processing facilities, but they also litter our streets and green spaces, being thrown on the ground much like cigarette butts. This costs the council additional money to clean up, money that could be better spent on other services, but if these are damaged, they can leak toxic materials that are harmful to the environment.
"Please make sure you are using rechargeable devices, and avoid the use of one-use disposable options to save on waste. And to make recycling easier, collect them over time, and take them to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centres or supermarket on your next visit."
Vapes, or e-cigarettes, have increased in popularity in recent years, but with over 3 million of them being discarded across the UK every week; 1.3 million of these being marketed as 'disposable', we want to remind residents of the dangers posed by incorrectly disposing of them in your household waste or recycling bin.
Councillor Linda Green, Chair of the South Tyne and Wear Waste Management Partnership, said:
"I really dislike the term 'disposable', as they are anything but. All vapes contain a battery, and if you throw them in your bin and they are collected by our crews, these batteries can be damaged during processing and spark, setting fire to any combustible materials around them. This is particularly hazardous in our waste facilities or in collection vehicles, where they can cause large fires and present a real danger to life.
"Vapes are fully recyclable, so I urge all residents using these devices to recycle them responsibly once they've finished using them."
Because vapes contain batteries, as well as copper and plastics, they are classed as Waste Electrical and Electrical Equipment (WEEE), and should be taken to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre to be recycled, or they can be taken to your nearest large supermarket, who have a legal obligation to take them from you for recycling.
Councillor Green added,
"We're not only find an increasingly volume of vapes in our waste processing facilities, but they also litter our streets and green spaces, being thrown on the ground much like cigarette butts. This costs the council additional money to clean up, money that could be better spent on other services, but if these are damaged, they can leak toxic materials that are harmful to the environment.
"Please make sure you are using rechargeable devices, and avoid the use of one-use disposable options to save on waste. And to make recycling easier, collect them over time, and take them to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centres or supermarket on your next visit."
