In an announcement over the weekend, the government confirmed that disposable vapes will be banned across England, Scotland and Wales. Commenting on the news, Ed Willmott, managing director of Prova, said:
“Banning the sale of disposable vapes is positive news on two counts. The widespread impact on public health is clear, but the environmental implications are equally as concerning. It’s hugely disappointing to see vapes either littered or thrown into general waste (an estimated five million every week), rather than being disposed of through dedicated vape recycling collections.
“As a result, we’re seeing regular fires at waste depots, while also unnecessarily costing the public purse millions in street cleaning costs. Even recycling streams are becoming contaminated with disposable vapes, which adds further costs for preprocessors – a frustrating scenario.
“However, as a communicator, I must ask myself why the situation has become so untenable, especially considering that many retailers offer vape recycling collections, while items can also be included within WEEE recycling streams or disposed of at HWRCs. Is it convenience? Is it confusion? Or is it simply a lack of public information?
“Banning disposable vapes is an important and valuable step, but we must be open to learn from the situation. Simply branding users ‘lazy’ and ‘careless’ is too easy. It fails to tackle the wider problem.
“While not the silver bullet solution, I think that communication has a key role to play in improving public engagement and ensuring best practice waste management. Firstly, we need to shout far louder about the environmental implications of our actions – paint the picture of what happens when items (such as vapes) are improperly disposed of. Secondly, we need to provide real clarity when it comes to the solution – where can I dispose of them? When? How much does it cost? Most of all, it must be simple and relatable.
“I’m not just talking about consumers, either. What’s the message to the retailers when they’re left with thousands of single-use vapes after the ban has been introduced? Is there a risk that we’ll see high volumes dumped in the general waste stream? I hope not, but we need to give this some real thought.
“The entire scenario should be seen as a real wakeup call in terms of where we are and where we need to be. If we’re serious about minimising waste and maximising resource efficiency, effective communication must become a far greater priority.”
For more information about Prova, or its strategic communications services, visit www.provapr.co.uk.