The detrimental consequences of incorrect vape recycling
Despite the UK’s single-use vape ban coming into force in June 2025, more than 6.3 million vapes and pods are still being thrown away every week.
Incorrectly disposed of vapes present a serious fire risk due to the lithium-ion batteries within them. These can cause fires in bin lorries and waste and recycling facilities. Recent figures show that fire brigades across the UK attend a lithium-ion battery fire every five hours, representing a 147% increase over the past three years.
Lithium-ion batteries can experience a process known as thermal runaway, where a chemical reaction causes the temperature to rise so rapidly it can result in fires, explosions and the release of toxic gases.
These incidents can have serious financial and operational consequences for waste management businesses, while putting employees, the public and emergency services at risk.
Fires are not the only issue surrounding the continued incorrect disposal of these products is also creating significant challenges for the waste management industry. When vapes are incorrectly discarded, they can contribute to plastic pollution, hazardous nicotine leakage and the loss of valuable materials, including lithium and copper, that could otherwise be recovered and reused.
Why are vape-related fires still a problem?
One of the aims of the single-use vape ban was to address the environmental and safety concerns associated with disposable vape products, including the fire risks posed by their batteries.
However, manufacturers are now offering more refillable and rechargeable devices instead. These products may include two pods or a charging port, allowing them to be used more than once and potentially fall outside the definition of a single-use vape. Unfortunately, consumers are still discarding these as disposable products.
This creates an ongoing challenge for waste operators, as rechargeable and refillable vapes still contain batteries that require careful handling and appropriate recycling.
The main contributor to this problem lacks public awareness. Around 47% of vapers do not know that vapes can be recycled, meaning many devices are incorrectly disposed of in general waste or mixed recycling bins. Another common issue is wishcycling. This is the well-intentioned practice of placing the vapes in recycling bins with materials such as paper, plastic, glass and cans.
When vapes enter waste streams that are not designed to handle them, the risk of battery damage and subsequent fires increases.
Improving how vapes are collected, stored and recycled is therefore essential to reducing these risks and ensuring valuable materials are not unnecessarily lost.
What do retailers need to do to remain compliant?
As legislation and expectations around vape products continue to evolve, retailers and businesses have an important role to play and need to ensure they have appropriate arrangements in place for collecting, storing and recycling used devices.
Their collection and recycling arrangements are properly documented and compliant with the relevant WEEE legislation.
There are several important areas for businesses to consider:
- Provide accessible ways for customers to return their used vapes, such as dedicated in-store collection points.
- Store collected vapes securely and appropriately to minimise the risk of battery damage, fires and leakage.
- Maintain appropriate records of vape sales, returns and waste management activities.
- Ensure vapes are collected by authorised facilities for appropriate treatment, preventing pollution and recovering valuable materials.
How AWS Nationwide can support compliant vape recycling
With fire risks, environmental concerns and regulatory obligations all presenting challenges for retailers, having a reliable vape recycling process is essential.
AWS Nationwide provides a compliant vape recycling solution designed to help businesses manage the collection, storage and disposal of used devices safely and efficiently.
Our service includes:
- Flexible collection containers for customer take-back schemes
- Additional fire protection within the collection containers
- Secure collection and nationwide logistics
- Responsible treatment and material recovery
Preparing for the future of vape recycling
The UK vape market continues to change, and the introduction of the single-use vape ban and the upcoming Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 highlight the increasing regulatory attention being placed on these products.
For retailers, having clear procedures for collecting, storing and managing used vapes is an important step towards reducing fire risks, preventing environmental harm and meeting applicable compliance obligations.
AWS Nationwide supports businesses through compliant collection services, secure storage solutions, nationwide logistics and auditable reporting. We are committed to providing customers with the resources and support they need to navigate regulatory changes and address the growing risks associated with lithium-ion battery fires.
Get in touch with AWS Nationwide today to find out how we can help your business manage vape waste safely and responsibly.