ACS is reminding retailers about its industry leading guide on selling vaping products responsibly, including information on retailers' responsibilities when it comes to recycling.
All retailers selling vapes must provide an option for customers who buy the product to dispose of their old vapes. Retailers have two options for offering recycling services to customers for vapes, which depends on the total annual value of the sales you make of electrical and electronic equipment in your business.
If the total value is worth under £100,000, you must sign up to the Distributor Takeback Scheme (DTS), which is operated by Valpak on behalf of DEFRA. This scheme requires a fee, with the amount you pay depending on the size of your business. Under the scheme, you need to display signage (available here) about alternative recycling requirements, and keep a record of what information you give to your customers about where they should take their electricals.
If the value is worth over £100,000, you must offer an in-store takeback service for electricals on a like for like basis. Vapes should be collected and stored separately from other electricals and batteries in a cool dry place, and you must keep records of all electrical and electronic waste that you collect and dispose of.
Retailers can transport waste collected themselves with a waste licence, but most engage with a 'compliance scheme', a commercial service that provides you with the equipment to collect electrical and electronic equipment, and pick it up from stores. Scheme providers are available here.
The Selling Vapes Responsibly guide also includes clear guidance on what to look out for when stocking vapes to ensure that the products you sell to customers are allowed to be on the UK market. Vapes must be notified and published on the MHRA register before being legal to place on the UK market. The Notified Published Products List is available here: https://cms.mhra.gov.uk/ecig-new
