Environmental and fire-safety concerns over vapes grow despite recent disposable device ban
The disposable vape ban was brought into force in June 2025 in an attempt to reduce the environmental harm caused by devices being thrown away each week. However, reports from waste management services have revealed that the ban on disposable vapes is failing to stop millions of vapes from being thrown away incorrectly, and the devices are still causing chaos for the waste industry.
The problem seems to come from a lack of education on safe disposal, with 25% of vapers in the UK saying they have never recycled their vapes, according to The Haypp Vape Report. Here, nicotine expert Markus Lindblad, from Haypp, shares the importance of recycling and disposing of vapes correctly, as concerns over waste continue to grow post-ban.
Why do I need to recycle a vape?
Most vape kits contain lithium batteries, which are actually classed as hazardous waste, and can cause fires, so they need to be correctly recycled to minimise any environmental or hazardous impact. There are also lots of plastics used in vape production, which will turn into microplastics if left in a landfill.
When discarded in general waste or recycling bins, the battery can be crushed or punctured during the compaction process in waste bins or at waste facilities. This damage can trigger thermal runaway, which can cause the battery to overheat and ignite. While it might seem like a small task, disposing of a vape properly protects your home, waste workers, and the environment!
How do I correctly recycle a vape?
- Make sure the vape is empty: Before recycling your vape, you need to first make sure that your vape is completely empty and doesn’t contain any liquid.
- Check if you can remove the battery. If the answer is yes, take it out and recycle the battery separately (make sure to do this carefully, and we recommend you wear gloves). If the battery cannot be removed, then keep the vape device whole and add it to your electrical waste collection to be disposed of.
Where can I dispose of my vape?
- Your local collection. Some local authorities collect electrical waste with the usual refuse collection or on request. You can contact your local authority or visit their website to see if this is an option in your area.
- Your Local Recycling Centre. Another option is to take your old vapes to your local recycling centre. Batteries can be disposed of in the battery bins, and all other parts of your vape (or the full device if the vape battery cannot be removed) can be disposed of in the electrical waste bins.
- Local Recycling Banks. In addition to your local recycling centre, some of the recycling banks in carparks and designated roadside areas have dedicated bins for electrical waste disposal.
- Retailer Recycling Programs: Vape stores and retailers must offer take-back schemes for used devices.
How can I reduce waste?
While vape batteries can be charged and recharged thousands of times before they need replacing, reusable and refillable vapes still need to be disposed of eventually. Vape users may need to dispose of a reusable vape if they have upgraded a vape kit or replaced an old, broken vape. Similarly, vape juice bottles are made of plastic that isn’t biodegradable, and you should do what you can to recycle them or reduce how many you use.
