Council partners with EcoSig to tackle vape waste

Lockyer Valley Regional Council has joined forces with a major Queensland player in the fight to tackle single-use vapes and e-cigarette waste.

Council has partnered with EcoSig, an organisation that specialise in recycling and repurposing the lithium-ion batteries, metal, plastic and cotton that are contained in these devices.

With the use of vapes on the rise, Council’s Waste Management Portfolio Councillor Julie Reck said the trend had resulted in an increase in plastic and electronic waste.

“The increase in the usage of vapes has resulted in a range of social and environmental problems.

“Around the Lockyer Valley, we are finding vapes discarded in our environment, and also in our garbage and mixed recycling bins.

“Because vapes contain many different parts and materials, they cannot be recycled in kerbside mixed recycling bins, nor should they go inside garbage bins. When they do, they can cause fires and injury as well as environmental damage.

“Disposable vapes contain an embedded lithium battery, along with traces of a range of chemicals which pose a risk for environmental harm.

“While single-use vapes can no longer be purchased commercially, there are still many of these devices in circulation and showing up in our landfill.

“The lithium batteries recovered from vapes through the EcoSig program are recycled into new power banks, with the remaining products recycled, where possible, or made safe and disposed of.

“Used disposable vapes can be taken free of charge to the Gatton, Laidley, Lockyer Waters and Withcott transfer station sites and deposited into the marked disposal unit located at the site hut or weighbridge.

“It really is important we better manage the waste associated with this habit, and we encourage single-use vape users to put aside their finished vapes and dispose of them thoughtfully at our transfer stations periodically,” Cr Reck said.

For more information, contact Council on 1300 005 872 or visit www.lockyervalley.qld.gov.au