Electronic cigarettes and e-waste

Motion Text

That this House notes that the use of e-cigarettes, commonly known as vaping devices, in the UK is rising, especially amongst young people, with single-use non-rechargeable devices commonly sold by retailers; is concerned that many single-use vaping devices cannot be disposed of in household waste and, although their batteries and other constituent parts can be recycled, it is often the case that these devices end up in landfill; notes that ITV reports that batteries in normal household rubbish counted for over 260 fires last year; recalls how a fire that broke out in a Pilsforth landfill took a week before services managed to bring it under control; further notes that li-ion batteries used in these devices contain acids and toxic heavy metals like mercury and lead which leach into the soil and water sources when they are buried in landfill sites endangering humans, natural wildlife and the rural environment; and calls on e-cigarette liquid companies and the Government to take greater steps to increase awareness of the need to recycle these devices and ensure more recycling points are provided for them.