Council Accepts Used Vapes at all Household Recycling Centres

Ards and North Down Borough Council is now accepting used vapes at its Household Recycling Centres, with the new service complimenting several retailers that already accept vapes through their own collection bins.

Earlier this year, the UK government introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, and a ban on disposable vapes is due to take effect across the UK in 2025. In the interim, used vapes will continue to be a troublesome source of litter that causes environmental damage and can potentially be dangerous if disposed of incorrectly.

The Council's new disposable vape collection bins at all Household Recycling Centres will ensure that any deposited vapes will be safely disposed of. The collected vapes are stored and transported using a material called vermiculite. This material is extremely fire retardant and will withstand intense lithium fires which are often caused by discarded and damaged lithium-ion batteries. It is for this reason that vapes must not be disposed of in kerbside bins.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Alistair Cathcart, said:

"Putting vapes into any general waste or recycling bins at home is not only bad for the environment but it can be dangerous too. So please keep them in a separate container and either take them with you when visiting your local HRC where there are clearly marked vape disposal bins, or take them to participating local retailers who will accept them in their collection bins. Vapes can be dangerous if not disposed of correctly so help to keep everyone safe and help the environment by disposing of them in these dedicated bins."