Media Release

For immediate release

29 August 2019

The use of e-cigarettes and vaping as an alternative to smoking is on the increase and alarm bells are being rung about the new unwelcome waste stream that is emerging – how to recycle used vaping devices.  Vape cartridges that hold flavoured nicotine or cannabis solutions contain chemicals that must be dealt with as hazardous waste while the lithium-ion batteries must be handled by e-waste programmes.

Leading vape suppliers acknowledge the need to act on the growing problem of electronic waste that their devices leave behind, according to new research from the University of California.   However, as with other electronic equipment, New Zealand suppliers have no incentive to take responsibility unless they are required to by national product stewardship regulations.

“This is further evidence of the need for New Zealand to move quickly towards mandatory product stewardship for all electronic goods,” said Laurence Zwimpfer, Chairperson of the eDay New Zealand Trust.

“We welcomed the release of a product stewardship discussion document on priority waste products by the Hon Eugenie Sage earlier this month.  We strongly encourage every concerned New Zealander to respond to this document on the Ministry for the Environment’s online portal at https://www.mfe.govt.nz/consultations/priorityproducts and insist that the government recognise all ewaste as a priority product; this would then include vaping devices and their lithium-ion batteries.  Submissions close at 5pm on 4 October 2019.”

The US research revealed an alarming trend in California high schools; vaping ewaste was discovered in the carparks at 10 out of 12 high schools in the San Francisco Bay area.  While there is no evidence that vaping is as widespread in New Zealand schools, we need to be ready before this becomes a problem. In 2018, more than 26,000 Year 10 students from around New Zealand were canvassed by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and found that only 2 per cent used electronic cigarettes daily, up from just 1% in 2015.  But one third of Year 10 students reported having tried an e-cigarette in 2018.  Globally, it is projected that 55 million adults will be vaping within two years, many of whom will be using disposable or single-use devices.

“These developments add even more fuel to the ewaste fire and stress how urgent it is for Government to proceed with mandatory product stewardship regulations for ewaste,” Mr Zwimpfer concluded.

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The eDay New Zealand Trust

The eDay New Zealand Trust was established in 2010 to promote the reuse and recycling of electronic waste.  eDay’s primary focus at the time was to manage annual ewaste collection events for computer equipment.  In 2010, 18,274 cars dropped off 869 tonnes of computer waste at over 60 locations throughout New Zealand and the Cook Islands.  Despite the evident success of the collection events, the Government withdrew its support in 2011, citing a preference for “everyday” collection facilities rather than a one-day annual event.  The eDay Trust remains committed to a long-term mandatory product stewardship solution for all ewaste (everything with a plug or a battery).

http://www.eday.org.nz/

For further information contact:

Lara Charles

lara@eday.org.nz

Ph: 021 911 221