Retailers in vape ban warning
The Federation of Independent Retailers has warned that banning disposable vapes will fuel illicit sales after councils earlier this week called on the government to ban the devices.
The Local Government Association (LGA), a representative body for local authorities in England and Wales, highlighted that approximately 1.3 million vaping devices are discarded each week, contributing to the issue of street litter as the one of the major reasons for the ban (see letsrecycle.com story).
The Federation’s national president Muntazir Dipoti said: “A ban on single use vapes may, at first, seem like a straightforward, effective way of addressing underage vaping and litter.
“However, like the anti-smoking organisation ASH, we believe a ban would risk ‘turbocharging’ an already booming illicit market.”
He added: “Vapes help many give up smoking and are part of life now. If we ban them the black market will become even more active. History suggests it would be optimistic in the extreme to think that prohibition stops people getting hold of products.”
£500 reward won by residents for recycling efforts
As part of the ‘Mash for Cash’ campaign, residents from Caerphilly county borough have been granted a £500 reward for their food waste recycling efforts.
Mr and Mrs Roberts from Pontllanfraith have been declared as the latest recipients of the campaign’s cash prize. Launched in March 2022, the initiative aims to boost participation in food waste recycling and contribute to the decarbonisation goals set by the Welsh Government.
Each month, one participant in the food recycling program is chosen at random to win £500.
Cllr Chris Morgan, cabinet member for waste, leisure & green spaces said: “Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Roberts, and to all our previous winners of our ongoing Mash for Cash campaign.
“We are continuously looking for new and exciting ways to boost our recycling rates, and ensure we are meeting and exceeding the statutory targets set by Welsh Government and are honoured to be able to do these using initiatives like Mash for Cash, which reward our participating residents.”
Waste collectors strike action in Somerset cancelled
Refuse collection workers have called off planned strike action in Somerset after acepting an improved pay offer by Suez.
This news comes after Unite, the union supporting the workers conducted a ballot regarding the offer on the table (see letsrecycle.com story).
As a result of the strikes being called of waste collection services will continue to operate as usual, and residents can follow their regular waste disposal routines.
Mickey Green, Somerset council’s executive director for climate and place, said: “We’re very glad that this dispute has been resolved without industrial action.
“Crews make more than 350,000 collections each week, in all weathers, helping us achieve our highest ever recycling rates. It’s a tough job and we know how valued these services are by our residents.”
Vapes cause bin lorry fire in Bursledon
A fire that broke out in a bin lorry in Bursledon, Eastleigh has been attributed to vapes.
The crew noticed the fire and called two fire engines to the scene. The waste load had to be emptied onto the road to allow the fire brigade to dampen the contents.
There were no injuries reported after the incident last month.
The council stresses the incident highlights “that vapes or e-cigarettes should not be placed in kerbside bins as they contain batteries and cannot be recycled through Hampshire facilities.”
Residents are advised to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for disposal and check if the retailer offers a take-back scheme for proper recycling of these items (see letsrecycle.com story)
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