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Month: October 2024

  • U.K. County Installs Vape Waste Bins for Recycling

    U.K. County Installs Vape Waste Bins for Recycling

    In North Yorkshire County in the United Kingdom, vape recycling bins have been installed at all 20 household waste recycling centers to prevent vapes from ending up in curbside bins.

    Materials used in single-use vapes can harm the environment and must be disposed of separately.

    Once collected at the recycling centers, they are transported to the recycling facility to be dismantled, and the lithium-ion battery is removed for processing while the metals and plastics are recycled.

    Lithium-ion batteries can cause fires if discarded in curbside recycling or waste bins. These batteries cause most fires in the waste collection and recycling industry.

    “This exciting new initiative has the aim of ensuring that people who use vape devices know how to dispose of them in the right way,” said the county’s executive member for waste services, Cllr Greg White. “Vapes are not safe to be recycled or disposed of in curbside bins or boxes at home. One incorrectly discarded vape could cause huge damage or serious injury.

    “In August, we also introduced coffee pod bins at our recycling centers as we aim to continue expanding what we accept at our recycling centers. These initiatives demonstrate our commitment to responsible recycling and reducing our carbon footprint.”

    Research released this year from Material Focus found that, in the U.K., the public is buying 7.7 million single-use vapes per week, which has doubled compared to 2022.

    People are also throwing away 5 million single-use vapes per week, or eight per second, which has quadrupled compared to 2022.

  • Zimbabwe: Preparation for Growing Season on Track

    Zimbabwe: Preparation for Growing Season on Track

    Photo: Taco Tuinstra

    The Zimbabwean tobacco industry is increasingly confident it will achieve 300 million kg in the 2024–2025 season, reports The Herald.

    In a statement on Oct. 10, Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board Public Affairs Officer Chelesani Tsarwe said preparations for the upcoming growing season were progressing well, with most farmers expressing optimism about the cropping period.

    With consistent rainfall and moderate temperatures expected, farmers are better positioned to maximize their outputs than they were in the most recent growing season.  

    “We are optimistic about achieving the set target, thanks to the favorable weather forecast,” said Tsarwe.

    Despite the drought caused by El Nino, tobacco fared relatively well last year. The yield decreased by 20 percent from the previous season, reaching about 231 million kg in 2023.

    As of Oct. 4, 2024, Zimbabwe had exported 159.43 million kg of tobacco valued at $833.99 million compared to 143.23 million kg during the same period last year.

    “The average export price this year stands at $5.23, marking an increase from $4.99 recorded during the same period last year,” said Tsarwe.

    Last year, the country earned $1.3 billion from tobacco exports, up 30 percent over 2022.

    Eager to capture more value from the tobacco business, the government wants Zimbabwe to boost leaf output and move into value-added activities such as cigarette manufacturing.

  • French City Offers Honey in Exchange for Butts

    French City Offers Honey in Exchange for Butts

    Image: Dionisvera

    The French city of Darnetal is offering residents honey in exchange for cigarette litter, reports Euro Pulse.

    For each 1.5 liter bottle filled with butts, volunteers receive a pot of honey from local apiaries.

    According to city hall estimates, 200 kilograms of cigarette butts end up on the sidewalks of Darnetal every year despite the fact that France punishes litterbugs with a fine of €135 per improperly discarded butt.

    The plastic contained in the filters presents risks for water and soil, poisoning people and animals. The initiative is designed to motivate people to think about their contribution to environmental pollution.

    European cities have been getting creative in tackling the problem of cigarette litter. In January, Slovakia announced a project to turn discarded butts into asphalt. The first road made of cigarette butts was constructed in the city of Ziar nad Hronom.

  • California: Santa Cruz Bans Sale of Filtered Tobacco

    California: Santa Cruz Bans Sale of Filtered Tobacco

    TR Archives

    The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday to ban the sale of filtered cigarettes in unincorporated areas of the county.

    The ordinance was created by the Board’s Tobacco Waste Ad Hoc Subcommittee. It was supported by a coalition of environmental, health, educational and other groups and stakeholders.

    “This is a momentous day that builds on the work our community has been doing for generations to protect our environment and establish Santa Cruz County as a global leader in the environmental movement,” Board of Supervisors Chair Justin Cummings said. “While the County is the first to take this step, by no means will we be the last. We look forward to working with local cities and other jurisdictions to protect our coast, our environment and our people.”

    The sale of unfiltered cigarettes, cigars, loose-leaf and chewing tobacco, unflavored vape pens and other tobacco products will still be allowed, according to media reports.

    The ordinance will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2027.

    “Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet, they provide absolutely no health benefit to smokers, and they are poisonous to the environment. Let’s ban this toxic trash,” Supervisor Manu Koenig said.

  • EU Fraud Office Boosts Cooperation Against Illicits

    EU Fraud Office Boosts Cooperation Against Illicits

    Photo: Europol

    The European Anti-Fraud office (OLAF) held its annual tobacco conference Oct. 8-10 in Dublin. The event brought together over 90 participants representing customs and national police authorities of EU member states and third countries, the World Customs Organization, Europol and industry officials, among other stakeholders.

    Participants discussed strategies and trends and exchanged best practices in order to enhance international cooperation in combating tobacco smuggling. During the conference, OLAF presented an overview of developments on water pipe tobacco and new generation tobacco products, which have gained popularity in recent years.  

    According to OLAF, the illegal tobacco trade poses a significant threat to public health, deprives the EU and member states of substantial tax revenues and fuels organized crime networks. It undermines anti-smoking and public health campaigns, and violates the EU and EU member state rules on manufacturing, distribution and sale. In 2023, OLAF-associated operations led to the seizure of 616 million illicit cigarettes, 140 tons of raw tobacco and 6 tons of water pipe tobacco, preventing the loss of an estimated €150 million ($164 million) in revenue loss in the EU.

    The goal of the conference was to build stronger, more robust and coordinated international efforts to combat the illegal tobacco trade, thereby protecting public health, safeguarding revenues and disrupting the illicit networks involved in smuggling operations.

  • California Governor Signs Bill Against Fake Menthols

    California Governor Signs Bill Against Fake Menthols

    Photo: fizkes

    California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law two bills to strengthen enforcement of California’s law ending the sale of flavored tobacco products. On Jan. 1, 2023, California implemented one of United States’ strongest laws prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarettes and menthol cigarettes.

    In response, tobacco and e-cigarette companies introduced products mimicking the taste and cooling effects of menthol without actually using the prohibited substance.

    The new laws are designed to thwart those initiatives.

    One bill (AB 3218) requires the state Attorney General to establish and maintain a list of unflavored tobacco products, putting the onus on the tobacco industry to demonstrate that a product does not have a flavor and can be legally sold in California.

    The bill also updates the definition of a prohibited “characterizing flavor” to include products that impart a menthol-like cooling sensation, thereby making it illegal to sell the menthol-like cigarettes that tobacco companies introduced to evade California’s prohibition on the sale of menthol cigarettes.

    The second bill (SB 1230) authorizes the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to seize illegal, flavored tobacco products discovered during routine tobacco tax inspections.

  • Tobacco Workers to Protest in Jakarta

    Tobacco Workers to Protest in Jakarta

    Photo: Taco Tuinstra

    Tobacco workers represented by the Federation of Tobacco Cigarette Food Beverage Trade Unions planned to protest outside the Ministry of Health in Jakarta today to denounce a proposed government regulation of tobacco sales.

    Security risk management consultancy Crisis24 anticipated “hundreds” of participants and warned of the possibility of transport disruptions and minor clashes with police.  

    Indonesian lawmakers have been reevaluating the country’s tobacco control laws, including those on packaging.

    In September, more than 20 industry organizations signed a joint statement against plans to require plain packaging for tobacco and vaping products. The signatories included groups representing manufacturers, tobacco and clove farmers, labor unions, traders/retailers, creative industries, broadcasters and advertisers.

  • EU Urged to Adjust Regulatory Framework

    EU Urged to Adjust Regulatory Framework

    Unless the EU changes its strategies, the trading bloc is unlikely to achieve “smoke-free status by the target date,” according to a briefing published by We Are Innovation (WAI).

    Titled “The EU’s Smoke-Free Future and the Role of Innovation—Findings from the Special Eurobarometer 539,” the paper notes that 24 percent of Europeans still smoke, placing the EU significantly behind its goal of becoming “smoke-free” by 2040. Global public health experts define a country as “smoke-free” when its smoking prevalence is 5 percent or less. The slow rate of smoking decline suggests that this scenario may not be reached until 2100—60 years after the target date.

    According to the authors of the paper, countries that enable smokers to move and stay away from cigarettes through progressive regulatory frameworks for alternative products are witnessing more significant decreases in their smoking rates. This is the case of Sweden, where smoking rates have been in freefall since 2006, and Czechia and Greece more recently. On the other hand, countries that do not endorse the role of innovation, like Estonia, have seen the opposite trend.

    The paper’s findings are consistent with research conducted outside the EU. The decline of smoking rates in the U.K., Switzerland, the U.S., New Zealand and Japan are linked to an uptake of vaping and tobacco-heating products, among others, according to its authors.

    WAI’s analysis suggests that innovative products act as an “off-ramp” to quit smoking rather than an “on-ramp” for nonsmokers to start using nicotine.

    The authors note that a smart regulatory environment for alternative products may have further benefits, like stimulating economic growth through enhancing entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation. It can also help reduce health disparities, as lower income groups tend to smoke more.

    The briefing paper suggests that the EU’s path toward a smoke-free future should include a reassessment of the current policies and a combination of traditional measures and programs with innovative alternatives to smoking. Prioritizing the accessibility, acceptability and affordability of diverse options to help with cessation can be the key.

  • Retailers Push to Delay Display Ban

    Retailers Push to Delay Display Ban

    Photo: Heorshe

    The Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Associations of Malaysia (FSGMA) has asked the government to postpone a ban on displaying tobacco products at retail outlets, reports The Star.

    The Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 requires sellers to store tobacco products out of view starting April 1, 2025. The FSGMA has calculated that implementing the ban could cost its members up to MYR300 million ($70 million).

    “Each store will have to invest significant resources into making physical modifications to hide these products from customers, but the government has not offered financial assistance or a phased rollout,” said FSGMA President Hong Chee Meng.

    The organization reckons each retailer would incur up to MYR6,000 to comply with the display ban, putting financial strain especially on small, family-run businesses.

    Hong said the association is also concerned that the display ban will encourage the rise of illegal cigarettes and vape products as legitimate products will be hidden from view. What’s more, according to Hong, the lack of clear instructions has left retailers unsure about how to implement the ban.

    “Many have raised concerns about the need for additional staff to manage concealed products and the potential disruption to customer service,” he said. “Retailers deserve to know how to comply, and we deserve time and support to implement these changes.”

  • Trading Standards Funding Never Materialized: UKVIA

    Trading Standards Funding Never Materialized: UKVIA

    Local authorities never received the funds promised by Britain’s previous government to help them fight illicit nicotine products, according to the U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA).

    In answer to concerns over underage and illicit vape sales, former Health Secretary Andrea Leadsom repeatedly said the government was committed to providing £30 million ($39.24 million) per year in additional funds for enforcement agencies.

    However, a Freedom of Information investigation (FOI) conducted by the UKVIA has shown no evidence that the Conservatives came through on this promise before they were booted from power during the July 2024 U.K. general election.

    “The previous Conservative government made a huge song and dance about its investment in Trading Standards, but, as the findings of our most recent FOI investigation suggest, this is just another promise that has gone unfulfilled,” said UKVIA Director General John Dunne in a statement.

    A recent study commissioned by the Association of Convenience Stores found Trading Standards needs a significant funding injection of £168.34 million over five years if it is to fully enforce current vape legislation across the U.K.