North Lanarkshire urges recycling of e-cigarettes to prevent fires

Nov.04.2024
North Lanarkshire urges recycling of e-cigarettes to prevent fires
A UK county warns disposable vapes could spark fires if disposed of improperly, with only 23.7% of local vape shops offering recycling. The council is working with OPSS to address health and environmental risks.

Residents of North Lanarkshire in the UK have been warned about the dangers of disposable e-cigarettes and urged to recycle them, according to the Daily Record on November 4.

 

According to statistics, in 2023, there were over 700 fires in garbage trucks and recycling facilities in the UK due to mishandling of batteries.

 

There are a total of 322 venues in North Lanarkshire County registered to sell e-cigarettes. A recent investigation by the North Lanarkshire County Council Trading Standards team found that only 23.7% of the 101 venues surveyed actually provide e-cigarette recycling services.

 

The team is assisting the UK Government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) in collaboration with the retail industry to ensure widespread availability of recycling facilities in the area. Currently, enforcement officers are inspecting retailers for compliance with sales regulations, including tobacco and nicotine e-cigarette products. They will increase inspections to check if shops are providing e-cigarette recycling services.

 

The majority of supermarkets have already established recycling facilities, and OPSS is now focusing on promoting these facilities at gas stations and other retail locations to gradually achieve full compliance among retailers. 

 

Helen Loughran, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Climate Change, stated that disposable e-cigarette sales have increased by 400% in the past two years, with a weekly sales volume of approximately 7.7 million in the UK, posing significant health and environmental issues.

 

She pointed out that disposable e-cigarettes are increasingly becoming litter on the streets and can cause fires when improperly disposed of in garbage trucks and recycling centers, or in household waste. She emphasized that residents must responsibly recycle e-cigarettes to avoid causing harm to the environment.

 

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