Topic analysis

Fire and ‘sheer volume’: how Britain’s 6m-vape problem is putting recycling under strain

Despite a June 2025 ban on disposable vapes, over 6 million vapes and pods are still discarded weekly in the UK, straining recycling systems and causing hundreds of fires at waste facilities annually due to their lithium-ion batteries. Waste management firm Suez estimates the issue costs £1 billion per year, with industry leaders pushing for producer responsibility measures like built-in handling costs and a deposit return scheme to reduce improper disposal, while workers manually dismantle devices to separate hazardous components.