£5M VAPES CHUCKED PER WEEK

Campaign finds less than one in five user's récycle their devices properly

- DAN VEVERS

THE number of disposable vapes thrown away has quadrupled to five million per week over the past year, according to research from a recycling campaign group.

More than seven million single-use vapes are bought every week in the UK - double the amount bought in 2022.

However, only 17 per cent of people correctly recycle their vapes in a shop or local recycling centre, Material Focus said.

Vapes, also known as e-cigarettes, come in a variety of flavours but can be damaging to the environment and wildlife if littered.

When not disposed of correctly, they can also cause fires because of the batteries inside them.