Are vapes bad for the environment? Are vapes bad for the planet? Vape pollution. How do you recycle vapes. 

We’re all aware of the volume of plastic bottles, bags, and wrappers making their way out of our homes and into the environment. But (pub quizzers get ready) any guesses for the number one littered item across the globe? 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered every single year. Whether they’re tossed onto beaches, dropped in parks, or left behind on street corners, these tiny plastic filters are everywhere. But there’s a new kid on the block. The cigarette’s trendier, colorful cousin is fast matching its waste production. With 1.3 million being chucked away every single week - It’s time to talk vapes. Let’s dish the dirt…

In the UK, the proportion of adults that vape has risen to around 8.3% (or around 4.3 million people). Whilst the jury is still out on whether e-cigs are better for your health than cigarettes, refillable/reusable vapes are a more environmentally-friendly choice. That being said, with disposable e-cigs leading the market by far it isn’t so clean cut.

It’s not just the brightly coloured, single-use plastic exterior that’s causing issues. Each e-cigarette contains a Lithium battery. Not only do these batteries leach toxic chemicals into the environment as they break down, but Lithium is also a precious metal. It’s in finite supply and is a valuable resource. Disposable vapes can still be recycled, and we’re losing the equivalent of 10 tonnes of Lithium every year. If this were to be recovered, it could be recycled to produce the batteries of up to 1,200 electric vehicles (vapers saving the planet???).

In a survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of the Marine Conservation Society, a whopping ¾ of Brits were found to be in favour of banning disposable vapes. But little response from the government so far, education is going to be the short-term solution. Vapes can be recycled in any household waste or recycling centre, anywhere across the uk (in the bins for electricals and batteries). Most shops and supermarkets also have battery recycling bins, which vapes can easily be dropped off in. An easy fix, for a pretty dire situation.

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