According to foreign reports, Research and Markets has released a global overview of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and vaporizer recycling programs.

Manufacturers and consumers now generate 44.7 million tons of e-waste each year, which contains up to $65 billion worth of raw materials such as gold, silver and platinum.

The global amount of e-waste is expected to increase by nearly 17% to 52.2 million tonnes by 2021, or about 8% per year.

E-cigarette products are e-waste because they contain lithium-ion batteries, heating elements and circuit boards, which may contain plastics and heavy metals.

While the world's leading jurisdictions generally have legislation governing e-waste, they often do not have rules specifically designed for e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products or vaporizers.

To fill the void, nicotine delivery device manufacturers have developed their own initiatives to tackle e-waste. The research and market report lists the following examples:

Philip Morris International has established centers in Europe and Asia to inspect, process and separate materials from electronic devices for recycling.

British American Tobacco has replaced the plastic element of its vape product with a pulp substitute.

JTI has launched a return program for used equipment through recycling bins in stores.

Imperial Brands has launched a recycling program for used vaping devices and cartridges.

Other e-cigarette companies, such as DotMod, Shanlaan and Dovpo, have launched their own recycling programs through return programs. Innokin is working on a battery usage plan. Recycling companies such as Gaiaca and TerraCycle partner with vape manufacturers to provide services to collect and recycle e-waste.

The Bowman Company offers pod filling stations to reduce the amount of plastic used in future vapor bottle production.