How can you recycle disposable vapes ahead of ban?

Daily Record

27-05-2025

It will become illegal to sell single-use vapes from June 1 - but how can you safely get rid of the ones you currently have?
A UK-wide ban on disposable vapes comes into force this weekend, meaning the brightly-coloured nicotine sticks will be stripped from shelves across the country. The move is a bid to stop youngsters getting hooked while also protecting the environment.
As of Sunday, June 1, a new law will be in place, making it illegal to sell e-cigs. Suppliers caught flouting the new rule will be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £200 as an alternative to criminal prosecution for a first offence.
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The penalty for each following offence would increase by £200 each time. If they don't accept the fine, or in instances where an enforcement officer does not consider a fine appropriate, the offender can be fined a maximum of £5,000, sentenced to two years in prison, or both.
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The new law means merchants can get into big bother if they continue selling disposable puffers after this weekend, but the same rules do not apply to vapers themselves.
Selling them is illegal, but using them is not. This has led to people "stockpiling" their favourite vapes, with sales of the most popular flavours more than doubling in recent weeks ahead of the ban.
Whether you have been stocking up ahead of the ban, or just have some lying about your home, knowing how to properly get rid of them is crucial.
There are more than 11 fires a week linked to the unsafe disposal of vapes, and there has been a 348 per cent surge in e-cig-related blazes in the UK between 2020 and 2025.
Research has found that only 17 per cent of people dispose of their vapes correctly, with many mistakenly believing you can just chuck them in the bin at home. However, they are classed as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), which has strict rules for disposal.
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The lithium-ion batteries within the devices can overheat and ignite when damaged or crushed, so this puts them at risk in your home, on the street, in bin lorries, or at waste management sites. And vapes that end up in landfill can leach battery acid, nicotine, and chemicals from the plastic into the environment.
As WEEE waste is classed as hazardous or controlled waste, it must be disposed of separately from normal rubbish. If you are caught breaching your household waste duty of care, you can be fined up to £600 and it could void your home insurance if one catches fire in your bin.
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So disposing of vapes correctly isn't just better for the environment, it's better for you. Thankfully, there are a number of simple ways you can get rid of your nicotine sticks safely.
According to the team at Recycle Your Electricals, it can be as simple as taking your vapes back to the store where you bought them. All retailers that sell them must accept your old e-cigs, making it as easy to recycle them as it is to buy them
Certain local authorities collect electrical devices for recycling, either with your regular collection or by special arrangement. Contact your council to find out if that is possible where you live.
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Alternatively, you can take vapes to your local tip. All recycling centres have sections for electricals and batteries. If you are able to remove the battery, recycle it separately, if not, you can put the whole device in with the electrical recycling.
Smaller recycling banks also often have a spot for electricals. This could be at your local superstore, in a car park, or even at a designated roadside stop. If you know of one such bank close to you, check out if they have electrical recycling facilities.
Up to 80 per cent of vapes can be recycled, so making sure they don't just end up on landfill - or causing fires in your bin - is vital. To find your nearest vape recycling spot, you can put your postcode into Recycle Your Electricals ' handy checker.
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