Recycling Your Vape Products to Save Our Planet
It is becoming increasingly necessary to address the growing concern about the waste that vaping produces. Recycling our old vape products is an important topic that must be addressed as society grows more aware of its environmental impact.
As the BBC reported, 5 million disposable vapes are thrown away each week in the UK! More than 10 tonnes of lithium, or enough metal to produce batteries for 1,200 electric cars, might be saved by recycling vapes instead of being thrown away.
As vapers, we need to do our part in saving the environment so we don’t get scrutinised further. So, we’ve compiled all the information you’ll need to safely recycle your vaping products.
The Increasing Issue with Vape Waste
E-cigarette waste has regrettably increased at the same time as vaping’s popularity has skyrocketed, with growing concerns around the number of batteries being thrown into landfills.Â
There are several materials in disposable vapes that shouldn’t be in our environment. These single-use vapes’ lithium-ion batteries are extremely flammable and dangerous fire hazards, especially if they wind up in waste processing facilities.Â
There is a chance that dangerous substances like nicotine, lithium, and battery waste will leak into the environment if they are not disposed of properly, polluting our waterways, soil, and wildlife.
This worrying situation has not gone unnoticed by the UK government, there has been a call to action to address the responsible disposal of disposable vapes, given that they are the waste stream that is expanding the quickest.Â
Proposals have been made to educate the public on safe vape disposal techniques, and there’s a growing movement to support recycling services.
You can find your local recycling vape point here.
How To Recycle Your Vape Products
Vapes can be properly recycled in a number of ways, which helps to reduce their negative effects on the environment and preserve important components like lithium. We’ll break down the most important parts of your vape kits that are recyclable friendly.Â
Disposable Vapes
If you don’t have much time, you can make sure that your disposable vapes are disposed of properly by keeping them in a secure location until you have a sizable amount saved up.Â
Take your used vapes to your local recycling centre once you’ve accumulated a large collection, and they’ll be pleased to get rid of them for you.Â
If you’re looking to dispose of single-use vapes with their standalone materials, we go more in-depth in our How to Dispose of Disposable Vapes blog.
Vape Tank
Vape tanks are the top part of your vape kit that holds the e-liquids, they’re usually made out of metal, glass, rubber, and/or plastic.Â
The metal parts can’t be recycled at home, but they can be separated and taken to your local tip for recycling. The rubber parts will need to be separated and placed in your household bin, leaving the glass and/or plastic to be placed in the appropriate recycling bins.
Vape Mods
A vape mod serves as both the kit’s brain and its source of power, with a chipset controlling the amount of vapour produced.
They’re usually made of metal and plastic, and the batteries are made of lithium, carbon, and metal.
These can’t be recycled at home, the metal parts will need to be taken to your local tip.Â
Standard mods must be recycled at e-waste sites because they contain a circuit board, and an internal battery, however, with more advanced kits with removable batteries, these can be disposed of in designated battery disposal containers and the rest of the vape body at a WEEE centre.
You’ll need to locate the closest battery recycling location or WEEE recycling centre.Â
Vape Coils
Tanks/pods utilise vape coils, each one usually has a cotton or mesh wick and a wrapped wire attached to it for heating and soaking up vape juice to produce vapour.
The wick inside won’t be able to get recycled due to it soaking in vape liquid and nicotine, but taking apart the metal wires to put into your home recycling is allowed, as long as it’s been cleaned of any residue.Â
E-Liquid Bottles
Our e-liquid bottles, 10ml and shortfill, are widely recyclable, just ensure there’s no e-liquid residue left in the bottle before you throw it into your plastic recycling bin.Â
Recycling Vapes for a Better Future
It is imperative that the rapidly expanding issue of vape waste is addressed, the environmental impact of disposable vapes is worrying, as 5 million of them are thrown away every week in the UK alone.Â
Requiring ethical vape recycling is an urgent call to action rather than a matter for discussion.
Recycling vape kits not only cuts down on waste production but also preserves priceless materials like lithium. We can all help to reduce the environmental effects and leave the planet a safer, cleaner place for future generations by engaging in acceptable disposal practices.
If you choose to use our Click & Collect service, you can bring along your lithium batteries and disposable vapes and we will happily dispose of them for you.
