• Only 17% of people who use vapes or e-cigarettes recycle them correctly.
  
• The e-cigarette market value (22 billion USD in 2022,) along with its waste, is expected to grow 31% annually until 2030. (Grand View Research)
  
• The average vape weighs 50 grams. In 2022, there was already 92,594,150 lbs of e-cigarette waste!
• In the UK alone, five million disposable vapes are thrown away each week! (BBC News)
• With the vape industry growing rapidly, it’s increasingly important to address the waste problem before it becomes less manageable.

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Vapes pose several environmental hazards when they are not recycled. The devices contain toxic materials such as nicotine salts, lithium-ion batteries, heavy metals and plastics. (Truth Initiative)

Aside from adding onto the landfill problem, these chemicals can seep into soil, creating toxic dead zones and imposing health problems onto animals and humans alike. So, how does one recycle their vapes?

How to Recycle Your Vape

Recycling is both simple and easy. It may be convenient to have a temporary disposal bin for your vape or e-cigarette waste prior to recycling it. Specifically, opt-in for a container that is fire-proof since the lithium-ion battery portion of the vape is flammable.

1. Find a Recycler

Not every recycling plant is able to recycle vapes. Due to its flammability, these sensitive devices must be handled with care, especially while removing the batteries. Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) services generally handle recycling vapes due to this risk.

Some current e-cigarette recyclers include Home Depot, Lowes and Staples. Making a monthly or bi-annual trip to recycle your vapes can make an impactful difference that paves the way to a more sustainable tomorrow.

By keeping your old vapes in a fire-proof container and bringing it to a recycling center, you can help to reduce the growing environmental impact of vape waste. Don’t throw it away – instead, safely store it and contact a HHW recycler to recycle your electronic waste today!