This week, vape recycling has been introduced at all nine of Cambridgeshire’s Household Recycling Centres.
The new vape recycling bins offer a safe and environmentally friendly way for residents to dispose of single use and reusable vapes.
Disposable vapes contain lithium-ion batteries which can catch fire if damaged. Three million vapes are currently thrown away each week across the UK, and research by Material Focus shows that electrical items including vapes disposed of in the wrong bin cause more than 600 fires in refuse collection vehicles and at waste sites every year.
Collected vapes are transported to a facility where materials are separated and cleaned before being sent for recycling.
Cllr Lorna Dupré, Chair of the Environment and Green Investment Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council said: “Supporting our communities and our natural environment to thrive is one of our key priorities.
“Currently two vapes are thrown away every second in the UK. They might be called disposable, but they can and should be recycled to ensure that valuable materials are reused, and fire and environmental risks are reduced.
“Introducing specialised vape bins at our Household Recycling Centres is one of the ways we’re creating a greener Cambridgeshire.”
Anything containing batteries, including vapes, should never be placed in your waste or recycling bins at home. Batteries are the biggest cause of fires at recycling and waste management sites and in collection vehicles.
There are nine Household Recycling Centres across Cambridgeshire, run by Thalia, with locations in Alconbury, Bluntisham, March, Milton, St Neots, Thriplow, Whittlesey, Wisbech and Witchford.
Find out more about recycling in Cambridgeshire: Household Recycling Centres
