The RECYCLE-CIG collection circuit, conceived and promoted by Logista Italia has already involved 25,000 tobacconists

For every million devices, 40 tonnes of batteries, 36 tonnes of plastic and 15 tonnes of other materials will be recovered

Rome / Milan, 12 December 2023

RECYCLE-CIG, the organised circuit for the collection of used electronic cigarettes involving the city's tobacconists, has started in Rome and Milan. Conceived and implemented by Logista Italia in collaboration with Federazione Italiana Tabaccai (FIT), and signed by a Programme Agreement with Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Sicurezza Energetica, the project actively involved the Centro di Coordinamento RAEE with the aim of organising the separate collection of disposable electronic cigarettes and rechargeable devices that have reached the end of their life cycle.

In the two pilot areas, more than 2,110 boxes have already been installed at tobacconists' shops participating in the initiative, where consumers can place their used device without the obligation to buy a new one. In detail: in Rome, 1,009 boxes are already active (equal to 48% of the sales outlets served by Logista), while in Milan, 1,107 boxes have been installed (equal to 50% of the sales outlets served by Logista).

To date, as many as 25,000 retail outlets nationwide have already joined the RECYCLE-CIG collection network and will soon receive the boxes for delivering electronic devices for recycling. The aim is to gradually start nationwide collection starting in January and to involve all tobacco shops.

Consumers can now easily and conveniently drop off these small WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) at their local tobacconist's: this is an exponential expansion of collection points, with no obligation to purchase.

The points of sale participating in the initiative are easily identified through the interactive map of the Logista per te App, which can be downloaded free of charge from all online stores and, for this feature, no registration is required.

"Just a few weeks after the launch of the initiative, we are getting feedback beyond our expectations, both in terms of the number of retailers signing up and in terms of the favour with which the collection of devices has been received by consumers in Rome and Milan, where, through our customer care, website and App, the first requests to collect filled containers are already arriving. The project is part of the sustainability programme that Logista is integrating in all its activities.RECYCLE-CIG represents a concrete example of a sustainable distribution chain and will make a significant contribution to reducing environmental impact, with important positive effects also from an economic point of view for the community," commented Federico Rella, Vice President and Corporate Affairs Director of Logista Italia.

In Italy, users of refillable or disposable electronic cigarettes have increased significantly in recent years. The use of the devices can be calculated on the order of millions, which at the end of their life risk a potential damage for the environment if they are not collected according to the protocols for electronic waste. Logista calculates that for every million pieces collected, 40 tonnes of batteries, 36 tonnes of plastics, 15 tonnes of other materials, including valuable aluminium, can be recovered.

RECYCLE-CIG, with the creation of a certified collection network in cooperation with trade associations, helps to implement a virtuous model of circular economy and to avoid the incorrect disposal of electronic waste in undifferentiated collection. From the boxes placed in the tobacconists' shops, the collected devices will be transported, and tracked, to Logista's territorial depots, which will take care of their custody and final delivery to authorised recovery entities, thanks to the collaboration with the WEEE Coordination Centre.

Consumers will be able to find the nearest collection point through the constantly updated Logista per te App.

The list of active take-back points as of 12 December can also be consulted through the website logista.it

Additional materials can be downloaded through this link.

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