RSPCA warns about discarded vapes
The RSPCA received more than 10,000 reports over the last three years of animals affected by litter.
The RSPCA has highlighted the danger that discarded vapes and other litter poses to wildlife and pets.
New figures released by the charity reveal that the RSPCA received more than 10,000 calls about animals affected by litter over the past three years, an average of almost ten per day.
Disposable vapes have grown rapidly in popularity in the last few years, with about 14 million single-use vapes bought each month in the UK.
Although disposable vape pens should be recycled at electrical waste collection points, many are being thrown away. This risks releasing hazardous and poisonous chemicals into the environment, including plastic, lithium and nicotine.
The flavoured scent of some vapes may also attract animals who could mistake them for food. In 2021, a pied shag died at Wellington Zoo in New Zealand after swallowing a vape pen.
RSPCA scientific officer Evie Button said: “When I litter-picked last year on the banks of the Thames, I was horrified at the amount of old vapes I was finding on the shoreline. Carelessly discarded used vapes seems to be a growing trend, and that’s a real concern for us.”
As well as the dangers posed by vapes, the charity has also revealed that almost half of all litter-related reports in 2022 involved animals caught in discarded angling equipment. These include a hedgehog that died after swallowing a fishing hook and a gull that was trapped on a telegraph pole after piercing its foot on a fishing lure.
The charity has stated that while the majority of anglers are taking due care when fishing, a small number are letting down their community by failing to dispose of their waste appropriately.
To help tackle the problems caused by litter, the RSPCA is urging the public to get involved in the Big Bag Challenge as part of Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean. The event, which will run from 17 March to 2 April, encourages people to take part in litter-picks in their local communities, helping to create a cleaner and less harmful environment.
Ms Button added: “Litter is one of the biggest hazards our wildlife faces today, and new hazards such as these discarded vapes just add to the risk to animals. Litter is a problem on all of our doorsteps - from city centres to the countryside and beaches - so all of us can do something to help by getting involved in the Great British Spring Clean and disposing of dangerous items such as vapes appropriately.”
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
