Advice issued on safest way to put old vapes in recycling

A warning has been issued following an increase in vapes being thrown in bins and mixed in with recyclables at the kerbside.

- Daniel Clark [e-mail]

Somerset Council and its collections contractor, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, are urging residents to do the right thing with their vapes once they have finished them. If they are not disposed of correctly, vapes present a danger to crews and the recycling facilities, the council said. When compacted, for example on a refuse truck, they can ignite and start a fire.

It is vitally important that vapes are disposed of correctly alongside other recycling.

Following an increase in the use of vapes, the two bodies are calling for residents to consider the environmental and safety impacts about what happens to their vapes once they are finished with.