The government has announced plans to change planning law so that new shops selling e-cigarettes and vapes in England will require planning permission before opening.
The definition of a vape shop will also be tightened to prevent businesses from avoiding the rules by describing themselves as general convenience stores or retailers.
The government said the measures, which will be consulted on before legislation is introduced, will give councils and communities greater control over what opens on their high streets.
Ongoing problem of vape waste disposal
Dr Adam Read, Chief External Affairs and Sustainability Officer at Suez Recycling and Recovery UK, welcomed the proposals, saying that the more than six million vapes and pods discarded every week in the UK create a “serious and growing fire risk” for waste workers and infrastructure.
According to Suez, batteries and vapes were confirmed or suspected to have been behind more than 80% of fires reported across its sites last year.
Read explained: “This is why it’s important that greater action on vape shops goes hand in hand with further measures to ensure producers and retailers take greater responsibility for the products that they are putting on the market and what happens to them at the end of their life.”
Gareth Rollings, Chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC), also said greater control over the growth of vape shops could have positive knock-on effects for waste and recycling services.
Rollings commented: “As well as littering and environmental impacts, the lithium batteries they contain can contribute to fires in collection vehicles and waste facilities when disposed of incorrectly.
“While these proposals are primarily aimed at giving councils greater control over their high streets, there is potential for wider benefits if they also help tackle the supply of illegal or non-compliant vape products.
“Illegal vapes can be particularly problematic because they often bypass established producer responsibility and take-back arrangements, making them more likely to end up in the residual waste stream.”
Deposit Return Scheme for vapes
However, the waste sector has warned that restricting the number of new vape shops will not, by itself, address the problem of what happens to devices once they have been used.
The Environmental Services Association (ESA) and Biffa have called for a deposit return scheme (DRS) for vapes to encourage consumers to return used devices through existing collection and take-back networks.
Under a deposit scheme, consumers would pay a refundable amount when purchasing a vape and receive the money back when the used device is returned through an appropriate collection point.
Biffa has proposed a £5 refundable deposit to provide a sufficiently strong incentive for consumers to return their devices.
Rollings added: “Restrictions on new vape shops alone will not solve the issue.
“Continued public education, effective enforcement against illegal products, strong producer responsibility and accessible collection and recycling routes will all be essential if we are to achieve a meaningful reduction in vape-related waste and associated fire risks.
“LARAC would also welcome consideration of a deposit return scheme for vapes.
“Such an approach could help reduce littering, increase recycling rates, recover valuable materials and reduce the number of lithium batteries entering the waste stream, where they pose a significant fire risk.”
Want to discuss how the waste sector can tackle the growing challenge of vapes and e-waste? Join the roundtable at the Waste Leadership Summit in London on 15 October, where industry leaders will discuss what effective e-waste infrastructure should look like, who should take responsibility and how regulation can keep pace.
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