Why Vapes Should Stay Out of Your Household Waste
Vapes and e-cigarettes should never be thrown into regular waste or recycling bins.
These devices contain lithium-ion batteries. When damaged or punctured, these batteries can easily ignite, leading to fires in our waste.
When vapes go into household waste or recycling bins, they are processed through trash compactors, which can crush the batteries and cause fires during transportation or at waste and recycling facilities.
This poses a significant risk to waste management staff, infrastructure, and public safety.
The Environmental Impact of Improper Vape Disposal
Shockingly, only 30% of vapes are recycled. In the UK alone, approximately 30 million single use vapes are purchased each month, leading to around 5 million of these devices being discarded every week.
Vapes contain valuable materials such as lithium, a critical component in electric car batteries. In fact, the amount of lithium discarded annually from disposable vapes is enough to produce batteries for 5,000 electric cars. This wastage underscores the importance of recycling vapes to conserve valuable resources and reduce environmental impact.
How to Recycle Vapes and E-Cigarettes:
#1 Check for Removable Batteries:
If the battery can be removed from the vape, take it out and recycle it separately. Lithium-ion batteries should be taken to a battery recycling point.
#2 Recycle the Whole Device:
If the battery is non-removable, the entire vape kit should be added to electrical recycling. Do not throw it in the regular bin.
#3 Use Retailer Take-Back Schemes:
Many retailers offer take-back schemes where you can return your used vapes for proper disposal. This ensures that the device is handled safely, and its materials are recycled appropriately.
#4 Visit a Household Waste Recycling Centre:
Take your used vapes to a local Household Waste Recycling Centre. These centres are equipped to handle electronic waste and ensure safe disposal and recycling.
Proper disposal of vapes and e-cigarettes is a small but crucial step in preventing fires in our homes and at our waste management facilities.
By keeping these devices out of bins, we can prevent dangerous fires and ensure that valuable materials are recovered and recycled. Let’s all do our part in promoting safe disposal practices and supporting a sustainable future!
More links
- The UK Governments plans to ban single use vapes
- Recycle Your Electricals- locator tool
- Recycle Now- find out where you can recycle different items