The UK’s ban on disposable vapes, that came into effect from June 1, is not easing the pressure on the waste industry, suggesting the prevalence of consumer habit in treating reusable vapes as disposabales.
The ban on disposable vapes was partly designed to curb the many millions of devices that were incorrectly thrown away.
Roger Wright, strategy and packaging manager at Biffa, said, "We're seeing more vapes in our system, causing more problems, more fires than ever before.
"We still see a lot of these reusables in the bins, because people have used them as a disposable item."
Wright criticised the vaping sector, claiming major vape firms launched low-cost reusable models, complete with replaceable pods and USB charging ports, but sold at similar price points to disposables.
"The innovation's gone crazy to try and get around the ban. Ironically it makes our job of recycling them - if we collect them - much harder," BBC quoted Wright as saying.
In the run-up to the ban, Biffa’s recycling facilities were processing around 200,000 disposable vapes a month incorrectly mixed with general recycling. In the three months since, volumes have climbed 3 per cent higher, suggesting roughly a million vapes a month still entering recycling streams across the wider industry.
Meawhile, the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) disputes the claims, insisting the ban is proving effective and the leak is due to illegal market.
Chairman Marcus Saxton said, ""We can see through the data consumers are refilling and recharging devices.
"So actually, if Biffa's findings are true, this is about disposable products washing through the system, either through illegal traders or through the illegal black market."
Wright said collecting vapes and electrical devices directly from people's homes alongside general waste and recycling would be part of the solution.
"I think that would massively improve the collection rates," he said. "You're more likely to put it out on the kerbside than you are to bother to go down to your corner shop and give it back."
A government spokesperson said, "Single-use vapes get kids hooked on nicotine and blight our high streets - it's why we've taken tough action and banned them."
It said it had made it compulsory for retailers to provide recycling bins, and its circular economy strategy due later this year aims to increase the reuse and recycling of electrical equipment.