From Environmental Hazard to Frontline Power Source
An ingenious solution has emerged for the mountains of single-use vapes made illegal in Britain, finding an unexpected purpose powering Ukraine's defence against Russia. The ban, which came into effect in June following a push by Sir Keir Starmer to combat pollution and child usage, left manufacturers and retailers with vast stocks of the now-illegal products.
According to a 2023 report, the UK was discarding 5 million single-use vapes weekly, with the lithium contained within being sufficient to create 5,000 electric car batteries annually. Faced with this environmental challenge and a logistical headache for businesses, Ukrainian volunteer Viacheslav Semeniuk, who lives in Leeds, conceived a brilliant plan.
The Leeds Initiative: Turning E-Waste into Essential Aid
Viacheslav, a cybersecurity developer for Sky, saw the potential in the tiny batteries inside these discarded devices. He told Radio Free Europe that the vape makers 'can't sell them anymore so basically we're just helping to make [manufacturers and retailers'] lives easier, because they need to do something with them'.
He now organises groups of volunteers for what he describes as a communal effort. 'We gather together in my house or whoever's house it is and then we sit maybe watching a movie or drinking wine. It's like a family evening,' he said. The volunteers meticulously extract the batteries, transforming a chore into a social event with a critical purpose.
This initiative is not alone. Entrepreneur Tom Nabielec is also collecting unwanted vapes for donation through the Ukrainian Social Club in London. He explained the economic incentive for retailers, stating, 'It costs [retailers] money to recycle otherwise and here in the UK they must by law'. After one shop provided him with a stash, word spread rapidly to other local businesses eager to offload their dead stock.
From British Living Rooms to the Ukrainian Frontline
A crucial part of the process happens within the UK. Viacheslav confirmed the vapes are broken down domestically to avoid costly taxes, as the loose batteries can be classified as 'waste'. Once shipped to Ukraine, these salvaged batteries are ingeniously assembled into functional power banks. They are glued into 3D-printed power bank shells, creating portable energy sources for soldiers to charge 'whatever USB-powered devices there are', including crucial drones and communication equipment.
This grassroots support comes as Ukraine's military continues to plead for more supplies and financial aid. In a significant development, Spain announced a fresh military aid package worth 615 million euros (£541million). Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez, standing with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Madrid, declared 'Your fight is ours,' condemning Putin's 'neo-imperialism'.
The Spanish package designates approximately 300 million euros for 'new defence equipment' and 215 million euros for anti-drone systems, surveillance radars, and aerial reconnaissance equipment. An additional 100 million euros will go to a NATO-led initiative for air defence systems. This follows a similar accord Zelensky signed in Paris for up to 100 Rafale fighter jets.
During his visit, Zelensky and Sanchez viewed Picasso's Guernica, which the Spanish leader called a 'universal symbol of barbarity'. Zelensky has previously drawn parallels between the 1937 bombing of Guernica and Russia's assaults on Ukrainian cities, highlighting the enduring tragedy of war which these repurposed vape batteries are now helping to combat.
