Latest news with #WEEE
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
York campaigner collects 'thousands' of discarded vapes
Down an alleyway in York, Miki Storey crouches next to a drain and fishes out 13 discarded disposable vapes. "The vapes out of that one were two weeks' worth, I've already emptied that drain before," he believes he has picked up thousands of vapes which have been carelessly tossed away on the city's with the litter problem, he started a campaign to remind shops of their responsibility to provide recycling bins for the devices. "When I first started, it was horrendous because people were dropping the vapes down drains like they were cigarettes," Miki says. "The difference between vapes and other waste products is that they're not as visible."Cars run over them so they squash the batteries and then all of that toxic material goes into our environment and water sources." Charity Keep Britain Tidy estimates 260 million vapes are thrown away in the UK every year, wasting resources such as lithium. It is dangerous to discard them in a general waste bin, as their batteries can cause fires when crushed in bin lorries or recycling centres. Under Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations, vendors of vapes must offer a service for customers to return vapes for recycling. However, Miki finds outlets rarely supply the correct bins. "It's a hassle for them, they don't want to do it," he says."They're going to have to pay for the recycling. They've also got to do it through a reputable company."The campaigner says he visited more than 40 shops over the weekend to speak to staff about the recycling regulations."At first they just look at you as though you're a little bit crazy," he says. "Then you start explaining what they need to do and that they've had enough time to do it, then you get different reactions. "Some of them say 'yeah, okay, okay', other ones have been quite aggressive in their response. "They certainly don't feel as though I'm doing them a favour." Miki is not the only York resident dismayed by the vape litter. Tracy Ostle, founder of the Foss Fairy Trail, also finds herself collecting boxes full of vapes for recycling."I find them in the bushes, thrown in the streets, they're just everywhere, absolutely everywhere," she says. "I must have picked up hundreds."However, Tracy struggles to find a place to recycle the vapes without walking miles, so relies on Miki for help. "As an individual, I can try to encourage people to recycle them in the proper way but I have to take these vapes that I collect to the local tip and recycle them there," Miki adds."We've now got a society where it seems as though it's okay for a lot of people just to throw things away. "There's other people who spend their own time picking all this stuff up. Why should people have to do that?" The campaigner explains the ongoing situation has left him "angry, sad and upset"."It's just really upsetting, we've got this self-made catastrophe that's happening," he says."I want a better future for young people. "It's their future we're playing with and we're just not taking responsibility for it."Miki is continuing his fight for shops to display vape recycling bins and is encouraging a crackdown on those flouting the to the Office for Product Safety and Standards, those not compliant can be prosecuted and receive an unlimited Dunne, UK Vaping Industry Association director general, has called for vape recycling points to be installed across town and city centres so that people can easily dispose of their devices."We have vape recycling companies amongst our members and they work hard to ensure that everyone, from retailers, consumers to local authorities, play their part to make recycling as easy as possible for the end user," he said."While in-store recycling is part of the solution, we also need a nationwide network of recycling points where vapes are used such as urban centres, public spaces and retail, leisure and work spaces." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Herefordshire bin lorry fires caused by disposable vapes
Two bin lorry fires were found to have been caused by disposable vapes, a council has Council said the vapes had been put inside household recycling urged residents to place small electrical items - including vapes - in a plastic bag on top of bins, to be collected by its new waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) service."Two fires caused by vapes have needed to be tackled... which not only disrupts waste collection and recycling, but also uses up valuable time for the fire service," said councillor Elissa Swinglehurst, cabinet member for environment. "We as a county are leading the way when it comes to collecting vapes and other small electrical items as part of our waste collections, but it is incredibly important that people follow the correct procedure and place their small electrical items on top of their bins, and not inside," added Swinglehurst. The WEEE service forms a part of standard waste collections in to the National Fire Chiefs Council, battery fires in bins and at waste sites are at an all-time high.A survey found that 94% of UK council said fires caused by batteries in domestic waste were an "increasing challenge". Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BreakingNews.ie
16-06-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Vapes and solar panels see electrical device sales surge
Vapes and solar panels have driven a 75 per cent surge in electrical device sales over the last five years, according to an e-waste recycling body. A total of 93 million household electronic items were purchased in 2024 – almost three times the volume sold in 2006, according to Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland. Advertisement Launching its 2024 annual report on Monday, WEEE said electronic items sold per year increased by 75 per cent between 2019 and 2024. Vaping devices alone accounted for a third of all units sold last year, an estimated 31 million units, while 2.5 million solar PV panels have been installed in the last five years. The country's biggest e-waste recycling scheme is calling for Ireland's 'e-waste intelligence' to develop as consumption reaches record levels, putting pressure on EU recycling targets. 'Each one of those 93 million devices contains valuable materials like aluminium, copper, lithium, cobalt,' said WEEE Ireland chief executive Leo Donovan. Advertisement WEEE Ireland collected 38,215 tonnes of e-waste last year (Conor McCabe Photography/PA) 'We're using these materials far faster than they can regenerate. Global demand is set to triple by 2050 – a trajectory that cannot be sustained. 'With over 80 per cent of the EU's rare earths coming from China, Ireland's dependence on imports leaves us dangerously exposed. We must reduce that risk by rethinking consumption, embracing circularity, and recovering more materials here at home.' Excluding vapes, consumption of electronics is still climbing – a challenge given that EU recycling targets are based on sales volumes, regardless of product life cycle or whether they can be reused. 'We are penalised for selling long-life items like solar PV panels,' said Mr Donovan. Advertisement 'Over 2.5 million panels have entered the market in the last five years, but with warranties of 15 to 20 years, they won't reach recycling centres for at least another decade. 'Yet they still count toward our annual recycling target. That's not circular thinking.' Research from WEEE Ireland also shows the proportion of households hoarding unused devices rose from 22 per cent in 2023 to 29 per cent in 2025, highlighting a massive untapped opportunity for reuse and repair. 'We need to move beyond recycling alone. Extending the life of products through repair and reuse must become the norm,' Mr Donovan said. Advertisement In 2024, WEEE Ireland collected 38,215 tonnes of e-waste. WEEE Ireland collected almost 330,000 large household appliances in 2024 (Conor McCabe Photography/PA) This included large household appliances which account for a significant share of Ireland's material recovery due to their size and resource content – almost 330,000 large household appliances, more than 119,000 fridge freezers, and 258,000 TVs and monitors. More than 1.1 million vape devices were also recovered, despite being notoriously difficult to capture due to disposal habits, with many ending up in waste bins. WEEE Ireland said it continues to work with retailers and regulators to design more effective solutions for this new category of waste. Advertisement This month, the Government allocated €27 million from the Circular Economy Fund to support further progress. 'Ireland has an engaged public and a high-performing recycling network,' said Mr Donovan. 'With increased investment in recycling centres, including longer opening hours, and strong leadership, we can set the benchmark for e-waste and circular economy solutions in Europe.'
Entrepreneur
05-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
World Environment Day 2025: Can AI Fix the Energy Problem It Helped Create?
"Without skilled workers to maintain these systems, long-term gains are harder to secure. AI offers clear efficiency boosts, but it's not a plug-and-play solution; it requires system-wide adaptation," says Pratik Mandvia, Solar Business Head, Mufin Green Finance Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. The enormous energy appetite behind artificial intelligence (AI) loudly raises concerns about the massive electricity consumption powering the everyday AI-driven innovations dominating headlines. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global electricity demand from data centres could double by 2030 to around 945 terawatt-hours (TWh), slightly more than Japan's entire electricity consumption today. That's both shocking and real. But experts believe AI might be both the problem and the solution. AI's Play in Solar India's solar capacity has grown exponentially, with a 3,450 per cent increase over the past decade from just over 2.82 GW in 2014 to nearly 100 GW in 2025, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The government's goal is to reach 500 GW by 2030, contributing significantly to its broader non-fossil energy target. According to Pratik Mandvia, Solar Business Head, Mufin Green Finance, "AI in solar now goes beyond weather forecasting. It helps optimise panel tilt, detect faults, predict shading, and manage grid loads in real time." He added that AI-led project planning has slashed construction timelines by 30 per cent and improved energy yield predictions by as much as 30 per cent. "However, limitations remain. Data quality and access are inconsistent, particularly in rural or legacy systems. Also, integrating AI into outdated infrastructure is also challenging," Mandvia explained. Meanwhile, Anand Jain, Founder of Aerem, believes that AI use cases within solar are still developing such as Energy Management Systems (EMS) and predictive maintenance solutions. However, he noted, "The quality of data and consistency remain major hurdles." Startups are the solutions Despite solar's clean image, environmental trade-offs are starting to emerge. Jain said that India already generated 100 kilotonnes of solar waste in 2024, a number expected to grow to 600 kilotonnes by 2030 and a staggering 19 million tonnes by 2050. Much of this is due to the absence of a proper end-of-life (EoL) policy for solar panels. Adding to this, Subhradeep Das, Development & Policy Economist, noted, "India must create a regulatory framework for the recycling and disposal of PV waste, similar to the EU's WEEE directive. Otherwise, we risk trading one crisis for another." He also warned that much of the upstream manufacturing is heavily dependent on Chinese polysilicon, embedding both carbon and geopolitical vulnerabilities into the supply chain. Mandvia echoed this sentiment and believes startups and small manufacturers can help in the long run. "India imports over 60 per cent of its solar modules from China, creating vulnerabilities in pricing and supply chains. While this has helped rapidly scale capacity, long-term resilience depends on local manufacturing. The government's PLI schemes and customs duties aim to boost domestic production. Startups and small manufacturers are gradually filling gaps, especially in modules, inverters, and battery packs," he said. But he concludes on the note of the skilled workforce challenge. AI could become a major game-changer, but it requires widespread adoption. "Without skilled workers to maintain these systems, long-term gains are harder to secure. AI offers clear efficiency boosts, but it's not a plug-and-play solution; it requires system-wide adaptation."
The Irish Sun
30-05-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Vape ban sparks panic buying as shops slash prices to beat deadline in just HOURS that could land you with £600 fine
VAPE users have started panic buying in bulk as shops slash prices ahead of the looming ban. Brits could be fined hundreds of pounds when 1 Vape users have been "bulk-buying" and "panicking" ahead of the ban Credit: Getty Both online and in store outfits will be affected by the ban and will include all vapes, regardless of whether they contain nicotine. "The maximum amount those who breach their household waste duty of care could be fined will increase from £400 to £600," the Government website WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) stated. Refillable vapes will still be available after the ban is imposed - but this hasn't stopped users Jack Leadbeater, 22, who works at Eco Vape on Exchange Walk in Nottingham, told the BBC people have been "bulk-buying" in response to new legislation. Read More "They've just been bulk-buying, really, making [sure] they can have them for as long as possible after the ban," "With the ones that they're getting, they're just using them and then they don't have to worry about them, they just chuck them away, whereas with the pods and stuff, a lot of people see it as a hassle and they don't really want to go for that." Meanwhile, Douglas Eccles, from Rustic Vapez, agreed with the ban but noted how it's left customers "panicking". "Everyone's panicking thinking all disposables are gone from Sunday, but it's not going to go that way," he said. Most read in The Sun "A lot of people are bulk-buying them because a lot of shops are doing them really cheap because they know that any stock they've got from Sunday they've got to take off the shelves. "At the end of the day it's business, you don't want to lose out." Teen told he was coughing up 'pints' of blood due to a stomach ulcer caused by kebabs - 'excessive vaping' was to blame The ban comes as figured revealed fourteen per cent of over-16s puffed on e-cigarettes between January 2024 and January 2025 — the same percentage as the previous year. The crackdown will also halt the scourge of plastic littering after five million vapes a week were thrown away in 2023 — quadruple the number from 2022. The move follows mounting fears that more kids are illegally buying disposables, many of which now come in bright packaging with flavours including bubblegum, candy floss and cola. Ministers also want to stop users trashing the environment with the throwaway devices. More than 40 tonnes of lithium, used in the batteries, was thrown out with disposable vapes in the UK in 2022 — enough to power 5,000 electric cars. Scientists believe the ban has recently dented the popularity of single-use vapes. Study author Dr Sarah Jackson said: 'The research cannot tell us why vaping rates have levelled off. "But in the past we have seen changes in smoking habits before a policy change. 'Action is likely still required to reduce high vaping rates. "But now the situation has stabilised, policymakers may be sensible to avoid stricter options that might deter smokers from using vapes to quit.' The University College London study of 88,611 people in It went from 63 to 35 per cent among young adults. WEEE waste professionals said: "Many people mistakenly believe that vapes can be tossed into their regular bin at home, but they're actually classed as WEEE, which has strict rules for disposal. When vapes are disposed of in household bins, this can lead to fires in bin trucks and at waste management sites, posing a huge risk to workers and the public." The worrying statistics come amid more and more vaping horror stories. A self-confessed "vaping addict" says Karlee Ozkurt, 20, vaped for five years, after Now she fears she won't live past the age of "40 or 50". Karlee claims taking up e-cigarettes was the "worst decision" she ever made and it remains her biggest regret in life. Meanwhile, a man has urged people quit vaping after he was left with Joseph Lawrence, 25, puffed on e-cigarettes every day for years before being rushed to A&E with an almost collapsed lung. Plus, one parent was horrified when he A youngster was then left in coma, with another "vomiting blood". Other school children have required medical attention after vaping, falling unconscious while experiencing horrifying heart palpitations, and dizziness. What are the new vape laws? Ministers have pledged to crackdown on poorly regulated vapes and e-cigarettes following an explosion in the number of teenagers who use them. New rules for manufacturers and shopkeepers are expected to come into force in 2025. They are set to include: Higher tax rates paid on vapes increase the price and make it harder for children to afford them A ban on single-use vapes in favour of devices that can be recharged A ban on colourful and cartoonish packaging that may appeal to youngsters Tighter controls on flavourings and a ban on unnecessarily sweet or child-friendly ones like bubblegum and candy More regulation on how and where they are displayed in shops, potentially putting them out of sight Harsher penalties for shops caught selling them to under-18s The ban on disposable vapes is part of ambitious government plans to tackle the rise in youth vaping. A report published by Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) found 20.5 per cent of children in the UK had tried vaping in 2023, up from 15.8 per cent in 2022 and 13.9 per cent in 2020.
