The Tobacco Institute of Japan (TIOJ) is set to implement rules for the disposal of heat-not-burn (HnB) products that use lithium-ion batteries, reports The Mainichi.
The initiative is a response to multiple reports of fire incidents attributed to tobacco cartridges discarded as noncombustible trash.
Japan requires local governments and electronics manufacturers to collect lithium-ion battery-powered products including smartphones and portable video game consoles.
However, HnB cartridges are not subject to such requirements. Without clear rules regarding the collection of these products, many local bodies do not accept them as trash.
Japan Tobacco (JT) launched a pilot program in May to collect used HnB tobacco products at its shops in Tokyo, and the tobacco companies will set rules based on JT’s system.
HnB products have been on sale in Japan for about five years, sold by TIOJ member companies JT, Philip Morris Japan and British American Tobacco Japan. To date, more than 10 million units have been sold in the country.