Electronic Cigarettes: Disposable But Where? (Swiss Press Video 2024, by Daniela Fabello / Gianmario Reycend) - Swiss Press Award
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Daniela Fabello / Gianmario Reycend
Tons of them are sold all over the world. They last but a short time before turning into waste. What really happens to electronic cigarettes once they are done and disposed of? The journalist takes us on a journey behind the cloud of smoke and reveals a disconcerting truth: Electronic cigarettes, which are becoming increasingly attractive even to young people, contain lithium batteries, heavy metals, toxic substances and valuable raw materials, and nobody is recycling them. Neither in Switzerland nor elsewhere. Yet consumers end up paying fees for their disposal. This four-part RSI investigation turns the spotlight on this highly polluting waste product. It reveals that the Federal Office for the Environment knows nothing about it and that “Berne”, consequently, doesn’t intervene. It opens our eyes to a so far little-explored and paradoxical environmental catastrophe: tonnes of pollutants are being released into the environment, while the manufacturers of vapes continue to rake in billions, including to dispose of these colourful and fragrant products.
Interview with Daniela Fabello / Gianmario Reycend
