Why You Should & How to Recycle Your Disposable Vape

How to properly dispose of your disposable vapes.

29 November 2022 | Hannah Rubery

You might not think it, but millions of vapes are thrown away each week, and disposable vapes make up a great number of them. This is part, of course, due to them being single-use devices but they shouldn’t be simply tossed in your normal household trash. Similarly, you can’t throw them in your recycling either due to the complexity of vape products. So, what can you do?

How disposable devices work

Disposable vapes are made up of several parts including a non-rechargeable battery, vape coil, 2ml vape tank pre-filled with juice and of course, the outer casing. When the vape fires up, most often through inhaling on the device, the battery kicks in to heat up the coil and vaporise the vape juice inside and create vapour. Most often, disposable vapes feature Nicotine Salts which are designed to deliver a smoother vaping experience and a quicker nicotine hit.

What should I do with my disposable vape?

When you’ve finished with your disposable vape, many people are unsure what to do with it. Unfortunately, it has led to littering and incorrect disposal of disposable vapes, so let’s break down what you should do with your vape when it’s done.

Firstly, and most simply, find your local recycling centre where they can be properly recycled and disposed of. Many supermarkets now offer drop zones where you can dispose of your disposables, so definitely check your local supermarket. Alternatively, there are some vape stores that allow you to return your disposable vapes to recycling. Make sure you check in advance though as some stores don’t provide this option.

Some disposable vapes can be partly recycled by carefully disassembling and recycling each piece accordingly. Not every disposable has a design suited for this, however. Make a note of the instructions that come with your disposable vape as these often detail ways to recycle and dispose of your disposable vapes.

Why recycling disposables is important

The batteries and E-Liquid that makeup part of disposable vapes are potentially harmful if they encounter our environment or animals. If not disposed of correctly the contents could leak into the water and contaminate the environment.

Not only this but the lithium batteries and precious metals used to create the coils are currently in high demand. Lithium batteries are used in a lot of vital devices including PCs, mobile phones and electric cars. And with the need for more green variations of power, we rely on lithium for helping to provide a greener alternative which is why recycling lithium batteries is imperative.

To put it into perspective, it’s been reported that every second, two disposable vapes are being tossed away which accounts for 10 tonnes of lithium being sent to landfills. That amount would make enough electric engines for 1,200 electric cars.

Ways to vape more environmentally friendly

Disposable vapes offer many positives, especially for those who are just making the switch to vaping from cigarettes. But when you’re comfortable with vaping, there are more cost-effective ways to vape and especially if you’re conscious of being kind to the environment. For those looking to reduce their impact on the environment, there are several ways to change up your setup.

1. Buy bigger bottles of E-Liquid. Shortfills contain 50-100ml of E-Liquid which gives you even more for your money. This way you cut down on your plastic waste and get more vape juice for your money. However, shortfills are nicotine-free so you will likely need to add a Nic Shot to these.

2. Use Nicotine Salts. As they deliver a stronger nicotine hit than traditional E-Liquids, you won’t need to vape as much to meet your cravings. A 10ml bottle of Nicotine Salts will last you much longer than a disposable vape.

3. Invest in a rechargeable kit. Pod kits, tank kits and of course mod kits, feature rechargeable batteries which are the best way to vape environmentally friendly. This helps to limit the wastage of lithium batteries and is cheaper than replacing batteries/devices each time they run out.

In conclusion, vaping offers many health benefits for those looking to switch from smoking, and even environmental benefits when cigarettes are removed from the equation. But we still need to be conscious of how we dispose of our vapes to ensure that those benefits don’t get outweighed.