Online marketplaces and vape producers to help fund recycling costs

The UK Government has announced new measures to ensure online marketplaces and vape producers contribute fairly to the costs of recycling electrical waste. Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh revealed the plans last week, marking a significant step towards creating a circular economy and supporting UK retailers.

Levelling the playing field

Currently, UK-based retailers bear most of the financial burden for recycling electrical items such as toasters, hair curlers, and vapes. This has placed them at a disadvantage compared to online marketplaces that often avoid such costs. The new rules will require online retailers to pay their share, providing a fairer system for all businesses.

Minister Creagh stated: “Electrical equipment like vapes are being sold in the UK by producers who are failing to pay their fair share when recycling and reusing of dealing with old or broken items. Today we’re ending this: creating a level playing field for all producers of electronics, to ensure fairness and fund the cost of the treatment of waste electricals.”

Tackling waste and boosting recycling

Each year, the UK discards around 100,000 tonnes of household electrical items, with many valuable materials such as copper and gold lost in landfills. Improper disposal also poses health and safety risks to the waste industry. The government’s initiative aims to reduce waste and recover these valuable resources.

Research from Material Focus estimates that 100,000 tonnes of smaller household electrical items, such as kettles and lamps, are incorrectly thrown away every year.

Alex Baldock, CEO of Currys said: “We welcome the Government’s new measures to help level the playing field for responsibility for waste, making online marketplaces do their part. Low value, low quality, and unsustainable tech is piling up in landfills, and it’s good to see Government doing something to tackle that.”

Changes to regulations

Under the new plans:

• Online Marketplaces: Platforms will need to register with the Environment Agency and report data on UK sales of their overseas sellers. This data will determine their financial contributions to recycling costs.

• Vape Producers: A new category will be created for vapes, ensuring producers pay for recycling these items.

Circular Economy Taskforce

The government has also established a Circular Economy Taskforce to develop a comprehensive Circular Economy Strategy for England. This is set to be published next year. The strategy will outline sector-specific measures to promote sustainability and reduce waste.

This initiative complements other efforts, such as the upcoming deposit return scheme for drinks containers and extended producer responsibility for packaging. Together, these reforms aim to reduce waste, stimulate recycling infrastructure, and create thousands of green jobs.

A call to action

These new measures mark a further step in tackling the throwaway culture and transitioning towards a sustainable economy. These changes aim to protect the environment, support UK businesses, and recover resources that would otherwise go to waste.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/online-giants-to-pay-their-fair-share-for-electrical-waste