Disposable vape fire and environmental fears sorted by AI
New UK legislation to ban single use vapes from June 1st has heightened immediate fears of fire risks and long term environment effects as vapers look to ditch their disposable stocks. However, the ever-growing UK vape waste problem is now looking significantly healthier thanks to a game-changing AI-powered machine that revolutionises how vapes are recycled. The first of its kind invention not only massively speeds up and dramatically lowers the cost of vape recycling but also helps create energy for the future from discarded vapes.
Over 8.2 million disposable vapes are currently used every week in the UK. This equates to 15,600 tonnes per year - an amount roughly equivalent to 28 Airbus A380s worth of discarded vapes annually. If not properly disposed of the lithium batteries inside disposable vapes can ignite fires and pose a significant environmental threat by releasing substances like lead and mercury into our soil, rivers and streams.
Traditionally, vapes have been manually dismantled often with pliers during the recycling process- at great expense and at a slow pace – now, for the first time in the recycling industry, AI technology from VP Recycling automatically sorts and separates materials, such as plastics, metals and lithium batteries.The technology allows processing of up to 1 tonne of vapes per hour, around 28,000 vapes, in comparison to a maximum of 200 vapes per hour, per person currently.
The fully automated AI vape recycling facility, which was a year in development, is machine led which also lowers wage costs. It works via imaging technology which recognises each type of vape by size, colour etc. to create a definitive vape library which makes sorting instantaneous.
As well as speeding up vape disposal, the thorough AI sorting process is also unlocking the potential to recover valuable materials from discarded vapes which can be turned into reusable energy. For example, it is estimated that lithium in disposable vapes could power 10,000 electric vehicles per year.
Mark Ennis, Sales Director at VP Recycling explains the benefits of AI in recycling:
“The UK vape waste situation was bad enough before the ban was first mentioned but we are ready to deal with the June 1st legislation and alleviate the immediate danger worries of stockpiled vapes being carelessly thrown away. Our streamlined AI facility not only reduces costs but also maximises the quality and efficiency of the recycling effort. The batteries we recover are undamaged and can either be sent back to manufacturers for reuse in new vapes or recycled to create recycled energy for the future.”
Vaping, according to the NHS, remains an effective alternative to smoking, so the transition after June 1st won’t be immediate. Even with stricter regulations on vape liquid amounts and the growth of the illicit vape trade, which already accounts for nearly one-third of all vapes in circulation, the need for an efficient and reliable recycling solution is more urgent than ever.
Mark Ennis, explains.
“The illegal market has already introduced devices with larger batteries and higher puff counts, making it even more critical to have the infrastructure to prevent environmental harm. Recycling vapes will not only keep our planet safe but can turn a potential hazard and problem into new reusable energy for the future.”