A Brief Overview on Recycling Vapes.

While a few years back the focus was on reducing plastic straw usage, cutting out smoking has a much larger positive impact on the environment. The production of 5.7 trillion cigarettes a year requires a significant amount of paper and just one cigarette butt can contaminate up to 1000 litres of water due to the chemicals in its plastic filter. Switching to vaping is a step towards reducing the impact on the environment.

At Recover, we believe that everything we consume has an impact on the environment, but we can reduce this impact by reusing and recycling. Vaping is not completely waste-free, but it is a safer choice for both our bodies and the planet. Here’s a breakdown of how to recycle different parts of your e-cigarette.

Disposable Vapes

The UK currently has an issue with disposable vape waste. There is a big issue here as they are being binned and in doing so have the potential to cause fires and pollute the soil in landfills. Recover is currently working on a solution for these kinds of vapes alongside other government-backed initiatives. We will update this section as we make progress and link to a full article dedicated to these kinds of vapes.

Recycling E-Liquid Bottles and Pre-Filled Pods

E-liquid bottles are typically made of plastic or glass and can be recycled once they are washed to remove any traces of nicotine-containing e-liquid. Plastic bottles can be placed in your household recycling bin, while glass bottles can be recycled. The pipette cannot be recycled as it is a mixture of glass, rubber, and plastic.

Vape Tanks

Vape tanks are made of a combination of materials and require some care in their disposal. The plastic or resin drip tip, rubber seals, and glass sleeve are not recyclable and need to be disposed of in your household waste bin. The metal component of the tank can be taken to a scrap metal facility, while the coil can be added to the scrap metal bin if the cotton wicking material is removed. Make sure to clean each part before disposing of it.

Vape Kits and Mods

Kits and mods come in different designs, with some having a built-in battery and others having an external battery. External batteries can be dropped off at a battery recycling bin, which can be found in many supermarkets. Kits with built-in batteries can be recycled with other electronics like laptops and cellphones. As long as the tank or pod that holds the e-liquid can be separated from the battery, it can be recycled in some capacity.

Disposable Vape Kits and Pre-Filled

Pods Pre-filled pods and disposable vape kits are the most challenging to recycle. Pre-filled pods are single-use and cannot be separated into their base elements (metal, plastic, and cotton), so they need to be disposed of in your household waste bin. Disposable vape kits have a different type of battery than rechargeable ones and their recycling information can vary. Check with your local council or tip to see what options are available for safe disposal if they cannot be recycled.

Environmental tips

To reduce your impact on the environment, it is recommended to buy larger bottles of e-liquid, reuse your tanks and pods, and recycle your e-cigarette parts whenever possible. At Recover, we strive to educate and inform on ways to reduce the impact of vaping on the environment.