A Kent-based waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) recycler, SWEEEP Kuusakoski, has produced a technical note warning that e-cigarettes and vapes are “potentially hazardous” due to the presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
E-cigarettes, which are in category 7 of the WEEE recycling regulations, consist of several elements, SWEEEP says:
- A plastic, glass or metal casing
- A heating element
- A microprocessor
- A lithium-ion battery
- e-liquid containing nicotine, benzoic acid, piperonal and benzyl alcohol
Some waste e-cigarettes are likely be classified as hazardous, SWEEEP says, due to the presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the form of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in the plastic components and other substances in the printed circuit board.