95% of disposable e-cigarettes go to landfills. South African environmental protection agencies call for strengthened recycling measures

95% of disposable e-cigarettes go to landfills. South African environmental protection agencies call for strengthened recycling measures

The increase in e-waste in South Africa and its proper disposal have raised concerns. Recycling group Desco called on manufacturers and retailers to take measures to address the problem of 95% of disposable e-cigarettes ending up in landfills, and promoted the establishment of more recycling points and financial support.

 

According to Businesstech on July 14, as more and more South Africans switch from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes, the increase in e-waste and its proper disposal has not been resolved.

 

According to e-waste disposal experts at recycling group Desco, 95% of disposable e-cigarettes and related e-cigarette products end up in landfills, posing a major threat to the environment.

 

The South African government has been pushing for the passage of the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Act to regulate the e-cigarette industry in South Africa.

 

Although the bill expires at the end of the sixth government before the national election in 2024, it will almost certainly be included in the list of further processing to be resumed by the country's seventh parliament.

 

However, the main focus of the bill is to regulate the sale and marketing of e-cigarette (and other tobacco) products, and the government or industry players have not yet taken concerted action on the rapid growth of e-waste caused by e-cigarette use.

 

Desco is now urging manufacturers, sellers and retailers to find ways to deal with this crisis.

 

One of the suggested approaches is to incentivize consumers to return used e-cigarettes and vaping products for proper disposal.

 

"We need to rapidly increase e-cigarette drop-off points in convenient and visible places, and properly fund real recycling solutions to recycle materials."

"Unless disposable e-cigarette manufacturers, importers and retailers comply with and fund their statutory environmental responsibilities, calls for a ban on sales will only grow."

 

The government has positioned itself to better address the e-waste problem, with the 2023 Household Hazardous Waste Management Strategy outlining various plans to better incentivize recycling.

 

Some of these proposals include recycling schemes and a possible household levy.

 

However, the government also acknowledged the realities of South Africa, such as that waste management cannot be handled at a national level, and that implementing these plans will be up to local governments and municipalities.

 

Many local municipalities are already struggling under financial pressures and constraints, and normal waste collection is already a challenge - and hazardous waste management is even more complex and costly.

 

Therefore, funding remains a significant barrier.