According to a report from Derry Now, a media outlet in Northern Ireland, the Derry and Strabane Council will be writing a letter to the Secretary of State, urging a ban on the use of disposable e-cigarette products.
On October 25th, Councilwoman Caitlin Deeny presented this proposal during a general assembly meeting.
This city councilor has expressed concerns that disposable e-cigarettes are having a negative impact on society and the environment. She has highlighted that these e-cigarettes are made up of various materials, including plastic casings, copper, and lithium batteries, which are not being effectively recycled. In fact, a significant number of e-cigarettes are being discarded in landfills every day, leading to increased risks of fire, air and water pollution, and exacerbation of greenhouse gas emissions.
Legislator Martin Reilly has proposed revisions to the complete ban on disposable e-cigarettes, arguing that it may have unintended consequences. He suggests that offering rechargeable e-cigarettes could potentially circumvent the ban. However, Caitlin Denny has not accepted these revision suggestions, despite feedback from various parties.
In the end, the original proposal was successfully passed by the city council with a majority of 27 votes in favor and 6 abstentions.
Stephen Ryan, the General Manager of e-cigarette company VaporLinQ, has criticized this decision as being overly extreme. He is urging the government to make more changes to existing regulations to ensure safer and healthier e-cigarettes, while also preventing the circulation of illegal e-cigarette products in the market.
