(April 1, 2025) The Hobsons Bay City Council in Australia announced that it will officially launch a special e-cigarette waste recycling pilot program from now on, aiming to address the increasingly severe e-cigarette environmental pollution problem. The plan will centrally handle waste e-cigarette devices containing lithium batteries and heavy metals by setting up community recycling points and cooperating with pharmacies and retailers to provide recycling services. The pilot period will last until April 17.
In July 2024, the Australian federal government implemented the “E-cigarette Reform Act”, which completely banned the circulation of disposable e-cigarettes and required therapeutic e-cigarettes to be sold through pharmacy channels. After the implementation of the new regulations, a large number of existing e-cigarette devices have become environmental hazards due to the lack of recycling channels. Data shows that Australia produces about 90 million e-cigarette waste each year, and the plastics, lithium batteries and chemical residues contained in them are difficult to degrade through conventional waste treatment systems. The pilot in Hobsons Bay is regarded as an important practice at the local level to respond to federal environmental protection policies.
The pilot is complementary to the federal government’s ban on e-cigarette imports, which will be launched in 2024. Previously, Australia has reduced the flow of new e-cigarettes into the market by strictly controlling the source of imports, while local recycling programs focus on the closed-loop management of existing waste. However, the pilot still faces two major challenges: the problem of disposing of illegal e-cigarettes: about 80% of circulating e-cigarettes enter through the black market, with complex ingredients and lack of standardized design, increasing recycling costs; the short-term pilot effect needs to be verified: the feasibility of long-term promotion needs to be evaluated through recycling data before April 17.
Environmental organizations generally support the plan, believing that it fills the gap in the management of the entire life cycle of e-cigarettes. If the pilot is effective, the city of Hobsons Bay plans to apply for special funds from the federal government to promote the normalization of the recycling system. This move may provide a model for other cities and accelerate the legislative process of e-cigarette waste management nationwide.
VEEHOO’s product concept is highly consistent with the recycling plan. Its flagship T9 product adopts a modular design, and users can easily separate the battery, cartridges and shell, greatly reducing the cost of disassembly. In terms of materials, the cigarette rod uses biodegradable bioplastics, and the cigarette cartridge uses a “glue-free” process to quickly separate metal and plastic. Data shows that the recycling rate of VEEHOO equipment is 60% higher than that of traditional products, and the risk of harmful substance leakage is reduced by 90%.
VEEHOO’s environmental protection practices are driving industry change. Its “full life cycle management” model – from the green supply chain at the production end to the closed-loop recycling after consumption – provides a reference template for peers. Australian Environmental Protection Agency experts pointed out: “If such cooperation plans are promoted nationwide, it is expected to reduce e-cigarette pollution by 70% within five years, and technological innovation is the key boost.”
The pilot program in Hobsons Bay is not only an innovative attempt at environmental governance, but also shows how companies can practice sustainable development with the power of technology. VEEHOO has proved that commercial success and ecological protection can go hand in hand through product design and social collaboration. On the eve of the April 17 deadline, every recycled e-cigarette is accumulating green energy for the future. As VEEHOO’s global initiative says: “Technology for good, every breath has its own responsibility.”
Tags: Lung inhalation of e-cigarettes, e-cigarette recycling pilot, HTP equipment, veehoo vape