I have received a large amount of correspondence from a number of constituents who are understand concerned with disposable e-cigarettes being littered in the streets of our towns and countryside. I share these concerns, with around five million disposable vapes thrown away every week, the scale of the waste of disposable vapes in the UK is shocking. Many of the disposable vapes thrown away each week are not recycled properly and are instead littered or discarded with residual waste.
Following a public consultation last year on the Prime Minister's proposals to create the first smokefree generation and crack down on cheap and accessible disposable vapes, the Government has recently announced that disposable vapes will be banned in the UK. This ambitious measure will be a powerful tool in support of the Government's efforts to crack down on waste and boost recycling.
Regarding the waste of vapes, I am aware that retailers that sell over £100,000 of electrical equipment per year are obliged to provide in-store takeback of electrical items, including vapes, under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations. Smaller businesses can choose to contribute funds to the distributor takeback scheme instead to ensure vapes are recycled correctly.
Under these regulations, producers of electrical and electronic equipment, including vapes, are required to take financial responsibility for the collection, and proper treatment the products that they place on the market when those products become waste at household waste recycling centres or are returned to retailers. Consumers that wish to dispose of their old vapes can take them to their local authority household waste recycling centre. I am informed that all vapes that are deposited at household waste and recycling centres will be collected and treated.
