Saints have teamed up with Club partner Totally Wicked, as well as St Helens Council and Liverpool City Region (LCR) Strategic Waste Partnership to deliver a key message around the safe disposal of vaping products.
At St.Helens R.F.C. we are proud of the Town in which we are located and alongside our Community Development Foundation, we are a ambassadors to improve our environment.
One part of this is the safe disposal and recycling of our waste. This includes the disposal of vaping products, which contain batteries that need to be disposed of in a safe manner to look after our environment and prevent any dangers caused by possible fires.
Totally Wicked have produced a guide on what to do with your vaping products when you wish to discard them:
Their Vape Recycling Scheme is the very first of its kind in the UK and allows you to drop off your used vapes at your local store to be recycled. And not just Totally Wicked vapes either – they will recycle any brand of vape bought from any other retailer too.
CAN YOU PUT DISPOSABLE VAPES IN THE BIN AT HOME?
Disposable vapes should never be put in a household bin or public litter bin as batteries pose a fire risk. In the last year there has been over 700 fires caused by binned batteries across the UK.
HOW DO I FIND VAPE RECYCLING NEAR ME?
Recycling units can be found in over 150 Totally Wicked stores nationwide. To find your nearest store and recycle your used vapes, head over to our Store Finder.
The Totally Wicked Store on Church Street in St.Helens Town Centre is the closest in proximity to the centre of the Town, and will accept any vape products, from any brand.
Located in the heart of the town, the shop is accessible by road, bus and is close to St Helens Central train station. There are also numerous car parks within walking distance of the store which can also be used.
Store address – 20b Church Street, St Helens, WA10 1BA
Totally Wicked Stores can also be found in five other locations across Merseyside, and will accept any vape products, from any brand.
Waste vapes and batteries can also be safely disposed of at any of the 16 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) across the Liverpool City Region, including the three HWRCs in St Helens at Ravenhead, Newton-le Willows and Rainhill.
For more information visit: https://www.merseysidewda.gov.uk
NOTE: Leave single-use disposable vapes intact and recycle separately in the disposable vapes container, you should never attempt to dismantle vape casings or batteries yourself. If your device is rechargeable and has a removable battery, this can be recycled in the battery container.
WHAT PARTS OF A VAPE CAN BE RECYCLED?
Used vapes typically contain plastics, steel, aluminium, and copper in addition to lithium batteries – all of which can be recycled and returned to manufacturing supply chains to make new products.
In addition to vape components being recycled, non-recyclable elements can still be used to produce renewable energy. This can then be used to generate energy used to heat homes.
Marcus Saxton, CEO of Totally Wicked and Chairman of the IBVTA (Independent British Vape Trade Association), stated:
“As a responsible vaping brand, we recognise that it’s not enough to simply sell high-quality vaping products. We must also take responsibility for the environmental impact of those products and work to minimise it as much as possible. By providing a comprehensive recycling program for vapes, we’re taking concrete steps to reduce waste and promote sustainability within the vaping industry.”
Councillor Andy Bowden Cabinet Member for Environmental Services & Climate Change at St Helens Borough Council said:
“We ask anyone who uses vaping products to dispose of them in a responsible and safe way using either local store take-back recycling service or take them to their local Household Waste Recycling Centre. This helps to keep our Town, clean and safe for all residents.”
Rosie Barker, LCR Strategic Waste Partnership, Resources & Waste Partnership Manager, said:
“Batteries are a hazard to our workers, our community and our environment. If batteries, or electricals containing batteries, end up inside bins or waste collection lorries with other materials then they are crushed in the waste and recycling process. This increases the chances that they could be punctured and self-combust, setting fire to dry and flammable waste and household recycling around them.
“We urge residents to please stop putting batteries in their waste and recycling bins, bags or boxes, and instead dispose of them safely.”
Notes to Editor – The LCR Waste & Resources Partnership is a collaboration between the six council in the Liverpool City Region and the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority to achieve zero avoidable waste across the region by 2040
