Ban on Disposable Vapes Demanded
Although they should only be disposed of in stores or at municipal collection points, the devices often end up in general waste. In a representative survey last summer, 75 percent of Austrians supported a ban, it was reported on Wednesday.
Daily fires in Austrian waste management facilities, collection vehicles, and in residential and storage areas due to damaged batteries underscore the urgency of legal intervention, said Gabriele Jüly, President of the Association of Austrian Waste Management Companies. "Our companies have invested enormous sums in fire protection in recent years. Therefore, most fires, often daily, are quickly extinguished." But the increase in products containing lithium batteries is existentially threatening for each individual company in the waste and resource management sector.
Loss of Valuable Raw Materials
Improper disposal of disposable e-cigarettes also leads to the loss of valuable raw materials. Lithium batteries contain metals such as lead, nickel, lithium, and cobalt, which are permanently removed from recycling due to a lack of return. Anton Kasser, President of ARGE AWV: "In the context of increasingly scarce resources, disposable e-cigarettes should be considered an environmental sin."
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.