Recycling lithium-ion battery vapes is becoming a huge problem in United Kingdom, according to Insurance Journal on March 20, 2023. That’s because manufacturers of these wannabee alternatives to nicotine cigarettes market them as disposable items. If local authorities are fortunate, this means ‘add to the trash’. However, many used e-vapes seem to be replacing cigarette butts instead.
How Big a Problem is Recycling Lithium-Ion Battery Vapes?
Disposable e-cigarettes contain single-use lithium-ion batteries. These are notoriously difficult to recycle, and are liable to explode if they end up in a crusher. Yet at the same time their electrodes contain the scarce mineral, lithium. And it is becoming increasingly important we recover this, and recycle the minerals.
Successfully recycling lithium-ion battery vapes could make an significant contribution, according to these statistics from United Kingdom alone:
- Non-profit Material Focus estimates United Kingdom smokers dispose of 1.3 million disposable vapes every week.
- That comes down to 2 vapes every second. Some 90% of smaller United Kingdom producers fail to meet environmental regulations.
There are currently no requirements for suppliers to foot the bill for recovering, and disposing of them either.
Lithium-ion Battery E-Cigarettes Are No Laughing Matter
Those lithium-ion batteries are not small-fry either. They pack enough punch to heat liquids to inhalable mists. Like all electrochemical cells they have some energy left, even when they are technically ‘flat’.
Insurance Journal confirms recycling lithium-ion battery vapes is feasible. However, they do require special treatment. Unfortunately though, it seems few users take the trouble to separate them from other trash.
Perhaps that’s how disposable vapes were fingered for causing three separate fires at a waste disposal plant near London Heathrow Airport in the past six months. Perhaps authorities should take a leaf out of the New York mayor’s book, and start regulating their lifecycle too.
On the plus side, we’ve heard at least one disposable vape manufacturer is trying to do something about this pollution. Insurance Journal advises Phillip Morris International offers free vapes for customers who return their used e-cigarettes. However, less than half of them are taking up the offer. It seems the rest can’t imagine recycling a daily-use product.
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