Fires in rubbish lorries and waste sites in the UK are on the rise, putting workers, equipment, and facilities at risk. This is partly due to the estimated five million vapes thrown away every week. Throwing vapes away also results in the loss of important recyclable materials such as lithium, cobalt, aluminium, copper, steel, and plastic. At a time when it’s better to be part of the solution, it’s important to know how to dispose of vapes responsibly.
Whether you use disposable vapes or a trusty reusable kit from Legion of Vapers, there will come a time when you must say goodbye to the device or its replaceable components. Keep reading to learn more about vape waste, vape disposal best practices, recycling, and how to dispose of disposable vapes and reusable kits.
Vape Waste Statistics
2023 research by NPO Material Focus revealed a few eye-opening statistics about vape waste in the UK:
- 7.7 million single-use vapes are bought per week.
- 5 million disposable vapes are thrown away weekly.
- The amount of lithium in vapes thrown away is enough to manufacture 5,000 electric vehicle batteries.
- 76% of vapers said they would be more likely to recycle if vapes were marketed as recyclable.
- 73% said they throw away disposable vapes.
- 17% of respondents who use disposable vapes said they recycle their vapes.
- 3% said they drop disposable vapes on the ground.
- 1% of vapers said they flush disposable vapes down the toilet (seriously).
Can You Recycle Vapes?
You can recycle both types of vapes. During the recycling process, they will be separated into their various components. These include the plastic or metal casing, lithium-ion battery, e-liquid tank, cotton wick, and metal coil. The cotton wick is the only component that cannot be recycled.
Where to Recycle Vapes
You can recycle vapes at various locations, including:
Electrical and electronic retailers: Electronics stores larger than 400 square metres must accept small WEEE items, including most vapes, for recycling for free, regardless of where those items were bought.
Household waste recycling centres (HWRCs): Most HWRCs accept vapes in their WEEE bins. Check whether your local centre accepts vapes.
Vape disposal bins: Some shops and other establishments have dedicated vape disposal bins, although these are usually intended for disposable vapes.
How to Dispose of Vapes Responsibly
Let’s unpack how to dispose of vapes, starting with reusable devices.
How to Dispose of Reusable Vapes
If your reusable vape kit needs upgrading due to age or a change in your preferences, it gets badly damaged, or non-replaceable parts wear out, the best way to dispose of it is to recycle it. One way of doing this is to dismantle the kit and recycle its various components separately:
Pods and tanks: Remove the pod, cartridge, or tank from your kit and wash it thoroughly with water to remove excess e-liquid residue. Glass pods or tanks can be recycled with glass recycling. If the component is made of plastic, check the bottom or the packaging for a recycling symbol and number, and then use the number to check whether you can recycle it with household plastic waste or if you should take it to your local HWRC.
Coils: If you can remove the coil from the pod or tank, separate the wicking material from the coil, then wash any e-liquid residue off the coil and recycle it with metals or in appropriate household recycling bins. The wicking material cannot be recycled.
Batteries: If the battery/batteries are removable, remove them from the device and take them to any battery recycling point. If the batteries are built-in, recycle the device with WEEE waste at your local HWRC or one of the places mentioned below.
Vape packaging: Dispose of paper and/or card vape packaging in your household recycling bin.
E-liquid bottles: Wash out plastic vape juice bottles and check the bottom for a recycling symbol and number to see whether you can dispose of them in your household recycling bin or whether you should take them to your local HWRC.
Where to Dispose of Vapes
You can dispose of vapes at:
- Most HWRCs
- Electronics and electrical shops larger than 400 square metres
- Vape disposal bins at some shops and other establishments
How to Dispose of Disposable Vapes
As most disposable vapes do not have removable components, it’s safest to dispose of the entire device rather than trying to separate it into its various parts. Trying to disassemble single use devices can be dangerous, especially if you bought a fake vape from an unscrupulous provider. Take your disposable vapes to your local HWRC, an electronics shop that accepts small WEEE items for recycling, or a vape disposal bin in your neighbourhood or town.
Vape Disposal Best Practices
Now that you know how to dispose of vapes, let’s cover a few vape disposal best practices.
Do not put vapes in bins at home or in public: Vapes contain batteries and shouldn’t be disposed of in household or public waste bins due to safety risks. Dispose of them in dedicated bins at shops or specialist facilities (we’ll say more about this in a moment).
Don’t flush vapes down the toilet: Flushing vapes down the toilet is even potentially dangerous, and the devices can cause blockages. It might sound obvious, but Northumbrian Water workers had to remove 57 disposable vapes which had blocked a sewer pipe in Darlington earlier this year.
Do not dismantle disposable vapes: Most single use vapes have an integrated battery that should not be detached from the device, as it can cause injury.
Recycle your vapes: Take your unwanted devices to your local HWRC for recycling with WEEE waste.
Prepare for the upcoming disposable vapes ban: The sale of disposable vapes will be banned in the UK from 1 April 2025. Prepare for the ban by switching to a rechargeable big puff vape such as the Lost Mary BM6000 or the IVG Smart 5500.
Upgrade to a reusable vape kit: Refillable, reusable vape kits are more sustainable, better for the environment, and won’t be subject to the disposable vape ban. Consider upgrading to a refillable vape kit from LoV to save money in the long run and to reduce the amount of waste you generate.
Vape Responsibly with LoV
While it’s vital to know how to dispose of vapes responsibly, it’s important to try reducing the amount of waste your hobby generates. One of the best ways to do this is to switch to a more sustainable vape kit you can reuse for years. Find big puff, reusable, and other great kits at LoV and vape responsibly with a brand you can trust.
