Waste management company Biffa has launched a UK-wide disposal, collection and recycling solution for single-use vapes.
More than 1.3 million non-rechargeable vapes are disposed of in the UK every week – and many wrongly end up in general waste or as litter.
Under strict rules, vapes should be disposed of at a household recycling centre, a designated collection facility or at the shop where they were bought. Retailers could be fined up to £5,000 per store for not having a vape return system in place.
Biffa’s new Vape Takeback scheme allows consumers to safely discard single-use e-cigarettes via in-store bins, tackling litter and helping shop comply with the law.
As part of its Vape Takeback service to retailers, Biffa will:
- Supply branded point-of-sale containers of different capacities;
- Collect used vapes at least once a quarter, more frequently if needed, meeting NWFD4 requirements;
- Notify retailers ahead of collections so they can get the paperwork ready;
- Make collection schedule, completion and any wasted journey reports available via myBiffa;
- Offer fixed national rates depending on pack size, or can be bolted on to existing Biffa small WEEE takeback services.
