Wiltshire conservation group finds disposable vapes on riverbed

Volunteers discovered disposable vapes on the riverbed of the River Kennet in Marlborough

A conservation group has called finding disposable vapes on the riverbed "quite depressing" and is backing calls to ban them.

Action for the River Kennet (ARK) said they were discovered in a stretch of the river in Marlborough town centre.

ARK officer, Anna Forbes, said vapes contain heavy metals as well as plastic which pose a "threat to water quality and the health of aquatic wildlife".

A government consultation on vaping comes to an end at 23:59 GMT.

During the charity's latest litter pick, ARK volunteers collected more than 400 items from the river in half a day, including 20 disposable vapes.

Ms Forbes explained that "this new offender" in terms of littering is "adding to the plastic pollution crisis in our rivers".

She added: "Often these vapes are not completely empty. There's still energy in the batteries which end up in the river and are leaking in.

"Our volunteers are regularly finding carelessly disposed of vapes at the bottom of the river. The plastic casings of vapes will blight our rivers for many years."

'Already under pressure'

The River Kennet is one of 260 chalk streams in the world, and home to critically endangered species like the European eel.

The majority of the river is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Ms Forbes said that "rivers are already under pressure".

"If people need to vape, then refilling then reusing is a step in the right direction," she said.

"If we're going to be stuck with vapes, then we need education on where to dispose of them.

"They're supposed to be recyclable but I think the majority aren't being recycled, because people just don't know what to do with them," added Ms Forbes..

Health concerns

Councils across England and Wales have called for a ban on disposable vapes, with the Local Government Association saying 1.3m vapes are thrown away every week.

There is also concern around the number of children using vapes, which are also known as electronic or e-cigarettes.

Disposable vapes offer a few hundred puffs of nicotine-containing vapour, often with an added flavour of fruit or sweets, in bright plastic packaging - which are thrown away when empty - as opposed to conventional vapes which can be refilled with pods or liquid.

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

ARK has responded to the government consultation on vaping, which ends at midnight on Wednesday, and wants others to do the same.