Scotland seeks to stem environmental impact of puffs

A report by the NGO Zero Waste Scotland makes several proposals to limit the many environmental consequences of disposable electronic cigarettes called "puffs". Banning these products is being considered, and other measures are being suggested to contain and regulate this sector.

Between 21 and 26 million disposable e-cigarettes ("puffs") are estimated to have been consumed in Scotland in one year, from April 2022 to April 2023. Sales of puffs are growing very rapidly: they have doubled since 2022 and could double again by 2027 – and with them their environmental consequences – if nothing is done by then to curb this trend.

These estimates come from a report sponsored in January 2023 by the Scottish Government to the Zero Waste Scotland organisation, the findings of which were made public on 30 June 2023[1]The aim was to estimate the different environmental consequences of the use of puffs.

The disastrous environmental toll of puffs

19,000 to 24,000 m3 of water and 3,375 to 4,292 tonnes of CO2 are currently required just to manufacture the components of the puffs consumed in Scotland. The lithium batteries in these puffs could be recharged 500 times but are not designed to be, causing significant losses of this rare metal.

The total of these puffs would represent between 800 and 1,000 tonnes of waste per year, of which almost a quarter is packaging. 3.5 % to 10.6 % of the puffs would be thrown on the ground and almost half would be thrown away with household waste, the rest being placed in recycling bins or returned to stores. Puffs thrown on the ground are particularly problematic, since they release lithium, heavy metals, toxic substances and plastic into the environment. Puffs are also a problem for waste treatment centres, where lithium batteries are multiplying fires.

Ban or other measures, several options are on the table

The report’s authors recommend several recommendations to significantly reduce the environmental impact of puffs. Banning them is one of the preferred options, provided the rest of the UK follows suit. Scottish Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said she has reached out to her UK counterparts to agree a common position.[2].

Other options, which could be combined with each other, have been put forward:

• Design criteria could be established for all e-cigarettes.
• A requirement – which could be extended to all electrical and electronic devices – that any battery can be removed and replaced.
• A financial deposit system, which would be returned upon return of the used puff.
• A tax, linked to the level of recyclability of products.
• An amendment to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations to define a specific category, costs and targets for all e-cigarettes.
• A levy on sales, paid by consumers.
• A ban on flavors for all e-cigarettes.
• Strengthening the enforcement of laws on the sale of these products to minors.

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Scotland has called for a complete and rapid ban on puffs, saying that there is no time for half measures and that the Scottish government has already missed several opportunities to restrict the market.[3]Such a ban would both address the environmental consequences of puffs and the pediatric epidemic ASH Scotland also argued that Ireland and France were currently assessing the option of banning puffs.

Keywords: Scotland, puffs, disposable e-cigarettes, environment.

©Generation Without Tobacco

MF

[1] Dr Dominic Hogg, Equanimator LTD, Zero Waste Scotland, Scoping policy options

for Scotland focusing on understanding and managing the environmental impact of single use e-cigarettes, summary report, June 2023, 28 p.

[2] Scottish Government, Tackling the environmental impact of disposable vapes, published June 30, 2023, accessed July 3, 2023.

[3] ASH Scotland, ASH Scotland urges outright ban of disposable e-cigarettes, following publication of Zero Waste Scotland's review of the environmental and health-harming products, published June 30, 2023, accessed July 3, 2023.

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