Sustainable Vaping Week returns for its fourth year, coinciding with International E-Waste Day, mobilising consumers and businesses selling vaping products to ensure used devices are disposed of responsibly.
At the centre of the campaign, created by the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), is the recycle-vapes.co.uk site, a year-round information hub bringing together guidance for producers, importers, distributors and retailers on their obligations under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations, including take-back requirements.
Location advice
The platform also provides practical advice for consumers on how and where to recycle, alongside a guide and other downloadable assets which businesses can share in-store and online to encourage responsible vape recycling.
This year’s campaign follows research by not-for-profit organisation Material Focus, which found 47% of vapers didn’t know their vapes could be recycled, while 80% felt there was insufficient information on how to do so.
Material Focus also found a 23% year-on-year reduction in the number of vapes and pods being thrown away or incorrectly recycled. However, an estimated 6.3m are still thrown away or incorrectly recycled every week in the UK.
Further progrees
John Dunne, director general of the UKVIA, said: “Vaping has helped millions of adults move away from smoking and it’s vital we continue to build on that progress.
“Ensuring used vapes are disposed of responsibly is a key part of that mission and everyone needs to play their part in making it happen.
“Sustainable Vaping Week is an opportunity to put the spotlight on responsible vape recycling, encouraging businesses to meet their environmental obligations and helping consumers understand how and where to dispose of used products.
“We also need strong action to bin the black market for good. Rogue sellers who flout the law by selling non-compliant products and banned single-use vapes are undermining responsible businesses and have no place in the UK market.”
Sustainable Vaping Week also comes as the UKVIA calls on Government to commit to a Fair Deal For Vaping, including stronger action against unscrupulous businesses and a proposed licensing scheme for vape retailers and distributors that would make proof of WEEE compliance part of the ‘passport to sell’ vaping products.
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