Warning over the disposal of e-cigarettes

Vapes and e-cigarettes are a fire risk as they contain lithium-ion batteries which can set alight when damaged.

Vapes placed in household waste and recycling bins are processed through compactors and can cause fires during transportation or at waste and recycling facilities posing a danger to staff and property.

Experts at the award-winning BDR Waste Treatment Facility at Manvers, which diverts 97 per cent of Barnsley, Doncaster, and Rotherham household waste from landfill are asking residents to recycle vapes and e-cigarettes at Household Waste Recycling Centres, electrical stores or take them back to vape retailers.

Alistair Beattie, who is the Community Education Liaison Officer at BDR said:

“We are urging everyone to dispose of their vapes and e-cigarettes safely. Vaping devices can often be recycled by taking them back to the stores they were bought from.

“Safe disposal not only reduces the risk of injury to our staff but is also better for the environment and prevents the loss of vital resources.

“Vape kits contain lithium, a critical component found in electric car batteries. It is estimated that all the disposable vapes thrown away in a year contain enough lithium to provide batteries for 5,000 electric cars.”

 Did you know?

• Shocking statistics reveal that the UK purchases a staggering 30 million single-use vapes each month.
• Alarmingly, only 30% of vapes are recycled.
• Vapes are becoming a significant contributor to the fastest-growing waste stream in the UK. Annually, over 155,000 tonnes of electrical waste are discarded, and vapes are adding to this burden at an alarming rate.
• The UK government is taking steps to address this issue by working towards a ban on single-use vapes next year (https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/01/29/disposable-vape-ban-and-what-it-means-for-young-people/ )

What can you do with vapes?

•            Check if the battery can be removed. If so, take it out and recycle it separately.

•            If the battery cannot be removed add the whole vape kit to electrical recycling.

•            Take them back to stores for electrical recycling. Vapes can be disposed of through take-back schemes with the original retailer or take them to a Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Where to find out more: Recycle Your Electricals have a search tool to find your nearest electrical and battery recycling points. www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk

For more information about recycling in your area visit your local council website.

Note to Editors:  The waste treatment facility at Manvers processes around a quarter of a million tonnes of leftover waste a year from 345,000 homes across Barnsley, Doncaster, and Rotherham, turning it into useful products rather than sending it to landfill.

For further information contact Alistair Beattie or Rebecca Wilson on 01709 761001 or alistair.beattie@renewi.com or rebecca.wilson@renewi.com