Totally Wicked launches recycling effort

Blackburn-based vaping products manufacturer Totally Wicked has launched a new project to help tackle the estimated 2 billion disposable cartridges discarded by users each year.

Working in partnership with waste management specialist Veolia, Totally Wicked will place disposal bins in more than 150 of its stores across the country, allowing customers to return any brand of vape bought from any retailer for free.

The company will transfer the vapes to a safe, fire-retardant storage solution, where they are collected and taken away for recycling.

Veolia is a sustainability solutions provider, and one of only a handful of Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities (AATF) that can recycle vape products effectively.

Totally Wicked's recycling scheme is aimed at preventing used vapes from ending up in landfill and littering the streets by recycling valuable components and returning them to the manufacturing supply chain.

Veolia's expertise in this area ensures that the components are disassembled and recycled efficiently, supporting a circular economy and reducing waste.

Marcus Saxton, Totally Wicked CEO and chairman of the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA), said: "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. We believe that this is an essential part of our duty, which in conjunction with our importer and retailer obligations, ensures we truly live and breathe our responsibilities as true leaders in our field, and an ethical business, which sits at the heart of our organisation."