Calls for deposit return scheme to dispose of vapes after bin lorry fires in Glasgow

A plea for a deposit return scheme to dispose of vapes across Glasgow and prevent further bin lorry fires has been issued by a local councillor.

During Tuesday’s environment and liveable neighbourhoods committee Bailie Anthony Carroll asked officers if a scheme could be introduced to help deal with the issue surrounding lithium ion batteries.

It comes following an incident two weeks ago when a Glasgow City Council bin lorry caught fire on Jamaica Street.

A recent report on the council’s website has since highlighted that more than 1.4 million illicit cigarettes have been seized by Glasgow’s Trading Standards over the last five years while 32,366 NVPs (Nicotine Vapour Products) were seized during the same time frame.

During the meeting Baillie Anthony Carrol said: “I was curious about a deposit return scheme for vapes because it seems like the issue surrounding the bin fires is recurring with little deterrent with people just throwing it in the bin because it’s the easiest thing to do.

“I was curious about finding a way for the retention of batteries and depositing them for safe disposal.”

A council officer advised that it is something the council could lobby for but is “not on the cards” right now.

She said: “I think primarily we need to educate everybody in relation to lithium ion batteries which are not just in vapes. They are in toothbrushes, they are in various other products.

“There needs to be a public health message going out that you cannot just dispose of them in the normal waste stream.

“In relation to a deposit return, that is something that is coming in next year for other things. Potentially we could lobby for something like that. It is certainly not being considered at this moment in time.”

Councillor Paul Carey (BEM) told members that people needed to know how to dispose of their batteries correctly.

He said: “We have had a number of bin lorries go on fire because of the battery situation.

“I think we need to emphasise that strongly about how people dispose of their batteries. I know the unions are really concerned about this going forward.”

The officer said: “Trading standards have just procured a storage vault at a significant cost which the Scottish Government paid for.

“It will be delivered and located at Blochairn tomorrow so that we can actually store all the vapes that we seize in a safe manner as we need to hold onto them for any prosecutions.”