‘Let’s talk about vapes’ say Grantham Rivercare co-leaders in their latest Tales from the Riverbank column

The environmental cost of vaping is the topic of this month’s Tales from the Riverbank column by Ian Simmons and David Martin, co-leaders of Grantham RiverCare. They write:

It would seem that everywhere you look these days there are articles about vapes and vaping. Is it good? Is it bad? Is it harmful?

Health professionals will explain that, for those giving up smoking, vapes can offer a route away from nicotine, a demonstrably harmful drug.

The current fuss is not necessarily these health benefits, but their use by under-18s and the marketing, targeting and use by ‘children’.

Down here on the riverbank, we have another view and that is one of littering. Grantham RiverCare have been recording the various vaping elements disposed of incorrectly and have seen a marked increase recently.

So far this year we have collected 434 items, which include the vape itself (often smashed by traffic into dozens of pieces), the lithium battery element and packaging, internal and external. Admittedly, this is a tiny amount when compared to the estimated 1.3 million single use vapes sold every week in the UK. The vast majority, if not all, are manufactured in China and shipped all over the world.

Just, for one minute, consider the battery used to convert the liquid to inhale-able gas. They contain, on average, 0.15g of lithium. This means we throw away 10 tonnes annually, enough to make 1,200 electric car batteries! And let’s not forget the environmental cost of refining the lithium in the first place.

Lithium batteries are dangerous if not disposed of correctly. Numerous fires have been reported at recycling centres where they have been mixed in with other materials, so much so that some recycling plants are now struggling to obtain insurance cover for their businesses.

What can we do about this problem? One immediate answer is don’t litter! One of the worst marketing tricks is to label products ‘disposable’ when they clearly are not. See also wet wipes, nappies and lighters for similar environmental issues.

The industry seems confused about a solution. We in the UK struggle with recycling schemes, from ‘what can I put in my silver bin for the council to collect?’, to ‘deposit schemes’ for drinks bottles and cans that are struggling to establish themselves - even in Scotland where the latest trials are threatened with inertia and collapse.

A recycling scheme would help tremendously, but how responsible would the users be to return units to designated centres? Without wishing to be the pooper of parties, maybe a complete ban or making them available only on prescription might be the only answer.