Correct disposal of e-cigarettes for municipalities and cities
E-cigarettes are becoming ever more popular. As the sector estimates an annual increase of around 30 per cent, special disposable vapes are experiencing a real boom: in 2022, more than 10 million vapes were imported into Switzerland. When it comes to e-cigarettes, a distinction is made between reusable and disposable vapes. Disposable vapes reach the end of their useful life after just 600 puffs.
Most of them end up as waste instead of being recycled, even though e-cigarettes, as electrical appliances, are subject to the Ordinance on the Return, Taking Back and Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ORDEE). In addition to many recyclable materials that are recovered, e-cigarettes also contain lithium-ion batteries, which can be highly flammable if handled improperly. The environment is protected from heavy metals when such batteries are recycled. Consumers are therefore legally required to return them and manufacturers, importers and retailers in Switzerland are legally obligated to take them back free of charge.
New “e-cigarettes” sector solution allows for easy collection
To ensure that importers and retailers – as well as consumers – can comply with these obligations as easily as possible, SENS eRecycling, together with the main importers and retailers, has launched a sector solution for the environmentally friendly disposal of e-cigarettes. The new sector solution has been in force since 1 July 2023 and is open to all manufacturers, importers and retailers of e-cigarettes.
With the take-back solution for e-cigarettes, SENS eRecycling offers manufacturers and importers a standardised process for the collection, transport and recycling of e-cigarettes. To this end, SENS eRecycling supplies what are known as vape recycling bags to all sales outlets of the contractual partners. Kiosk operators, for example, can use these to collect returned e-cigarettes and send them back to SENS eRecycling by post. This means that sales outlets can easily comply with the statutory mandate.
What municipalities or cities can do
As a municipality or city, you are in direct contact with citizens. Inform them about the return options at sales outlets and ensure that e-cigarettes can be disposed of properly.
Municipal collection centres with SENS contracts – known as SENS collection points – can also collect e-cigarettes in accordance with the notice “Collecting and transporting e-cigarettes” (German).
E-cigarettes disposed of incorrectly in the area of the municipality or city
E-cigarettes found during cleaning can be conveniently recycled free of charge using the vape recycling bags. Visit vape-recycler.ch to order collection bags. Full collection bags can then be deposited in the parcel box and will be collected by the post office. Alternatively, e-cigarettes can be returned to sales outlets.
Contact for further enquiries
SENS eRecycling
Christian Bollinger
+41 43 255 20 02
christian.bollinger@sens.ch