Recycle vapes to cut fire risk, Hampshire residents told

Hampshire County Council is calling for a ban on the use of single-use vapes

Users of single-use vapes are being urged to dispose of them at recycling centres to avoid starting fires.

Hampshire County Council said more than 700 fires in bin lorries and recycling centres nationally were caused by batteries dumped into general waste.

In 2021, a battery is believed to have been the cause of a blaze at Portsmouth Materials Recovery Facility which closed the site for three months.

The authority is calling for a ban on the use of single-use vapes.

Other local councils in England and Wales have also urged the government to ban disposable vapes, which they say cause litter problems, are a fire hazard and appeal too strongly to children.

Around 1.3 million single-use vapes are thrown away each week, making it the fastest growing type of waste, according Material Focus, a non-profit organisation which runs the Recycle Your Electricals campaign.

Discarded disposable vape in a London park

Universal services councillor Nick Adams-King said: "Anything containing batteries, including vapes, should never be placed in your waste or recycling bin at home, as they are inflammable and can spontaneously combust."

Hampshire's recycling centres can accept all types of vapes and the guidance is not to dismantle them unless the batteries can be safely removed for separate recycling.

The Local Government Association says 1.3m vapes are thrown away each week and wants them banned by 2024.

Single use varieties have surged in popularity, driven by Chinese brands such as Elfbar and Lost Mary.

The UK Vaping Industry Association says they help smokers quit and can be recycled.