Over a Million Vapes Thrown Away Daily in the UK, Creating an “Environmental Nightmare”
Research reveals that 13 vapes are discarded every second in the UK, amounting to more than a million daily—a figure that has alarmed environmental groups. A study commissioned by Material Focus, conducted by Opinium, highlights the scale of the issue, with 8.2 million vapes either thrown away or incorrectly recycled each week, leading to significant environmental and safety concerns.
Adding to the crisis is the rise of “big puff” vapes, which hold up to 6,000 puffs compared to the 600 puffs offered by traditional single-use vapes. The research found that 3 million of these larger vapes are sold weekly.
From June 2025, the UK will implement a ban on single-use vapes, allowing only rechargeable or refillable models to be sold. This move aims to combat the environmental damage caused by disposable vapes and their increasing use among children. However, all types of vapes—disposable or reusable—contain lithium-ion batteries, which pose a significant fire risk if crushed or damaged. Reports show that such fires have risen by 71% in the UK over the past year.
Environmental Impact of Vape Waste
Beyond fire risks, discarded vapes are environmentally harmful as they contain valuable materials like lithium and copper, which could otherwise be recovered and reused. Material Focus estimates that the lithium in these wasted vapes could power 10,127 electric vehicles annually.
Furthermore, improperly discarded vapes are often littered, posing a toxic threat to wildlife and ecosystems.
To address this crisis, Material Focus is calling for urgent action. The group advocates for:
* Takeback systems in retail shops, ensuring customers can return used vapes for proper recycling.
* Clearer recycling instructions on vape packaging and at points of sale.
* Stricter licensing systems for vape sales to enforce recycling obligations.
Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, said, “Vape producers are being infinitely creative with their products in order to avoid the forthcoming disposable vape ban. While the current ban addresses the most wasteful products, more flexible legislation may be needed to tackle the evolving challenges posed by new products.”
Call to Action for Vape Recycling
Butler emphasized that recycling vapes must become as convenient as buying them:
“We need rapid growth in accessible and visible vape recycling drop-off points in stores, parks, offices, bars, pubs, schools, colleges, and universities. Retailers and producers must finance genuine recycling solutions to recover critical materials and manage fire risks.”
He urged consumers to demand recycling options from retailers, noting that it is a legal obligation for all sellers to provide recycling points. Vapes should be treated like any other electrical item with a plug, battery, or cable—never binned, but always recycled.
