Sustainable Solutions for Disposable E-Cigarettes in the UK

May.14.2023
Sustainable Solutions for Disposable E-Cigarettes in the UK
Multiple eco-friendly solutions launched by e-cigarette companies at Birmingham Expo to address the issue of disposable e-cigarette waste.

Special announcement:


This article is intended for industry research and exchange only, and does not endorse any brands or products. Minors are prohibited from accessing it.


Recently, single-use e-cigarettes have sparked public concern in the UK due to their impact on the environment. Mainstream newspapers such as the Financial Times have reported on the issue of resource waste caused by single-use e-cigarettes. Despite their appeal in terms of portability and convenience, the disposable nature of these devices has led to a significant amount of waste and resource depletion. To address this issue, manufacturers are taking green action plans to promote the sustainable development of the e-cigarette industry.


On May 13th, the 2FIRSTS London News Centre learned at the Birmingham Electronic Cigarette Exhibition in the UK that several well-known companies presenting at the event unveiled their environmental protection plans. These included a complete recycling system by Smoore and YOOZ, ELUX's Recovery Bucket, and Flonq's recyclable electronic cigarette device, Flonq Plus-E.


Simor Alliance and Yueke launch a full-cycle recycling system.


At an electronic cigarette exhibition in Birmingham, UK, Smoore announced its partnership with client Yooz to launch the first-ever comprehensive end-to-end recycling system for disposable products worldwide. The system involves the participation of manufacturers, brand owners, retailers, consumers, and compliance processing agencies. Consumers can use express delivery companies or retail stores to recycle used disposable products and receive corresponding benefits. Moreover, the professional recycling agency collaborating with Smoore will provide environmentally friendly solutions that involve 100% deconstruction and zero landfill. Smoore stated that this system can greatly reduce the environmental impact of disposable products and achieve sustainable development in the industry.


Smorrow Exhibit Booth | Image Source: 2FIRSTSELUX plans to invest in 200,000 recycling bins.


Onsite employees from ELUX informed 2FIRSTS at the Birmingham exhibition that the company plans to introduce an eco-friendly program to address the environmental impact of disposable electronic cigarettes.


According to reports, ELUX has designed special recycling bins and plans to place 200,000 of them in e-cigarette stores throughout the UK this year, specifically for the purpose of recycling disposable e-cigarette products (regardless of brand), which will then be transported to Indonesia for processing. In addition, ELUX staff have stated that for every e-cigarette collected, they will donate 0.1 US dollars to charity.


Caption: ELUX Recycling Bin | Photo Source: 2FIRSTS The above caption describes an ELUX recycling bin and credits the photo source as 2FIRSTS.


Flonq has launched a recyclable electronic cigarette device, Flonq Plus-E.


At the exhibition, Flonq launched its first recyclable electronic cigarette device, the Flonq Plus-E. The device can be easily disassembled for recycling after use. Its unique design includes a detachable battery located at the bottom and a patented child lock system to prevent unauthorized use by children and teenagers.


Recyclable device Flonq Plus-E | Image source: 2FIRSTS


Cover Image: Photograph by 2FIRSTS.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

FDA Authorizes JUUL2, Cites Adult Switching Amid Efforts to Speed PMTA Reviews
FDA Authorizes JUUL2, Cites Adult Switching Amid Efforts to Speed PMTA Reviews
The FDA authorized the JUUL2 device and tobacco- and menthol-flavored pods on Aug. 28, bringing the number of authorized e-cigarette products to 48. The agency highlighted complete switching among adult smokers, with six-week switching rates reaching 28.4%–49.3% for the menthol pod. The decision comes as FDA works to speed PMTA reviews, reduce application backlogs and expand authorized e-cigarette and nicotine-pouch products while maintaining enforcement priorities for unauthorized products.
Regulations
Aug.29
UK Vape Duty Starts in October as Hayati, DOJO and Others Launch Lower-Capacity Products With Lower Per-Unit Tax
UK Vape Duty Starts in October as Hayati, DOJO and Others Launch Lower-Capacity Products With Lower Per-Unit Tax
The UK's Vaping Products Duty will take effect on October 1, 2026, at a flat rate of £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid. Ahead of implementation, DOJO, PIXL and Hayati have introduced or been reported to be adding lower-capacity tiers alongside larger products. DOJO has added a 6ml BLAST7K Fresh below its 10ml BLAST10K Fresh, PIXL offers both a 12ml 8000 and a 6ml 5K, while retailer Ninja Vapes says Hayati is preparing a 7ml 4K alongside its existing 12ml 6K. The pattern points to a growing lower-capacity tier in the UK market, although the brands have not all explicitly linked the changes to the new duty.
Sep.23
Product | JT Refreshes Ploom CUBE Design and Expands Japan Retail Distribution, Targeting Younger Men and Female Users
Product | JT Refreshes Ploom CUBE Design and Expands Japan Retail Distribution, Targeting Younger Men and Female Users
Japan Tobacco (JT) launched a refreshed Ploom CUBE design in Japan on September 8, 2026, with broader convenience-store and tobacco-retail distribution planned from October 13. The updated device retains the existing Rounded Cube form and heating platform while replacing four previous body colors with Pebble White and Cobalt Black. JT is also introducing new Front Panels and Fabric Back Covers, although the new accessories are not compatible with the previous Ploom CUBE design. The company says the update is intended to broaden appeal among younger male and female users.
Sep.09
Product | JNR Launches Shisha Hookah 70K E-Hookah With 60ml E-Liquid and 0.6% Nicotine
Product | JNR Launches Shisha Hookah 70K E-Hookah With 60ml E-Liquid and 0.6% Nicotine
JNR has introduced the Shisha Hookah 70K, a high-capacity rechargeable disposable vape designed around a hookah-inspired experience. The device comes prefilled with 60ml of e-liquid at 6mg/ml (0.6%) nicotine strength, alongside a 1,000mAh rechargeable battery and a 0.38Ω single mesh coil. It also features adjustable airflow and battery and e-liquid level displays. JNR claims the device can deliver up to 70,000 puffs and offers more than 20 flavors. Retail listings for the product have appeared in markets including Tunisia.
Market
Aug.24 by 2Firsts Perspectives
From Vuse, Velo and glo to AI Consulting: Former BAT Content Lead Launches Destreza
From Vuse, Velo and glo to AI Consulting: Former BAT Content Lead Launches Destreza
Former BAT global content lead Andy Parton has left the company and launched Destreza, a London-based AI-native marketing consultancy. Parton previously worked across BAT's New Category brands Vuse, Velo and glo and had also served as Global Brand Lead for Vuse Go. Destreza says it will advise consumer businesses on AI in brand strategy, operating models, capability and agency configuration, using specialist AI agents to support research, strategy and creative development. BAT reported £3.621 billion in New Category revenue in 2025.
Sep.22
Product | JT Expands Vote-Winning EVO Cacao Mint Crystal to Nationwide Retail in Japan, Adds 22-Stick Limited Pack at Same Price
Product | JT Expands Vote-Winning EVO Cacao Mint Crystal to Nationwide Retail in Japan, Adds 22-Stick Limited Pack at Same Price
Japan Tobacco (JT) will expand EVO Cacao Mint Crystal from limited channels to nationwide retail in Japan from October 6, 2026. The Ploom tobacco stick ranked first in the brand's first consumer voting campaign for new tobacco-stick SKUs held earlier this year. JT will also introduce a limited 22-stick pack at the same JPY 620 price as the standard 20-stick pack. The capsule-format product combines menthol with sweet, bittersweet cacao notes and adds a berry nuance when the capsule is crushed.
Sep.09