More Than 6 Million Vapes Binned Each Week as Battery Fires Hit Waste Sites

More than 6.3 million vapes and pods are thrown away in the UK every week, according to not-for-profit organisation Material Focus. That’s down from 8.2 million in 2024, but it still puts the people who collect and sort our waste at risk.

Vapes contain lithium-ion batteries, which can catch fire when they’re crushed or damaged in a bin lorry or at a recycling site. Material Focus has recorded more than 1,200 battery fires in bin lorries and waste sites in a single year, up 71% from 700 in 2022. It says some of these fires are caused by vapes.

It has been illegal to sell or supply single use vapes anywhere in the UK since 1 June 2025.

Key Takeaways

• More than 6.3 million vapes and pods are thrown away in the UK every week, despite the ban on single-use vapes.
• Battery fires in bin lorries and waste sites have risen 71% to more than 1,200 a year, up from 700 in 2022. Vapes are one of the causes.
• Veolia reports a fire a day in its vehicles and at its waste and recycling centres, and Biffa receives more than 200,000 vapes a month in mixed recycling.
• Used vapes should never go in general waste or household recycling. They should be taken to a vape recycling point.
• Health and safety professionals in waste management should review fire controls at the stages where batteries are most likely to be damaged.

What Does the Data Show?

Material Focus has recorded more than 1,200 battery fires in bin lorries and waste sites across the UK in a year, a 71% rise from 700 in 2022. These fires come from the batteries in all kinds of discarded electricals, not just vapes, but Material Focus says vapes are behind some of them.

Its latest research, published in March 2026, found 6.3 million vapes and pods are still being thrown away every week. That’s a 23% drop from 8.2 million in 2024, but it shows the ban hasn’t solved the problem.

Over the past four years, 1.18 billion vapes have been thrown away. Material Focus says the vapes binned in a single year contain enough battery power to run nearly 5,000 electric vehicles.

Why Is It So Dangerous to Throw Vapes in the Wrong Bin?

When a vape goes in general waste or mixed recycling, its battery is likely to be crushed, punctured or shredded on its way through the system. A damaged lithium-ion battery can ignite quickly, and the fire can then spread through the waste around it.

The people most at risk are the workers who collect, tip and sort that waste, along with anyone nearby when a bin lorry or recycling site catches fire.

Major waste firms are seeing this first-hand. According to Material Focus, Veolia is experiencing a fire a day in its vehicles and at its waste and recycling centres. Veolia believes these are likely caused by lithium batteries in vapes and other electricals. Biffa says it still receives more than 200,000 vapes a month that have been put in mixed recycling collections.

How Should Vapes Be Disposed Of?

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) runs a public campaign on using and disposing of vapes safely. Its message is simple: don’t bin your used vape, recycle it instead. OPSS also warns that extreme temperatures create extreme risk, so vapes shouldn’t be allowed to get too hot, cold or wet.

To get rid of a used vape safely:

• don’t put it in general waste or household recycling
• keep it somewhere safe until you can recycle it
• take it to a vape recycling point, such as a collection bin at a vape shop or supermarket.

Awareness is still a problem. Material Focus research published in March 2026 found 47% of vapers didn’t know vapes could be recycled, and 57% said they’d be more likely to buy from a shop that offered a recycling drop-off point.

What Is the Government Doing About Vape Waste?

The sale and supply of single-use vapes has been illegal across the UK since 1 June 2025. Any vape sold now must be rechargeable and refillable, with a replaceable coil or pod. Local authority Trading Standards teams enforce the ban.

OPSS runs awareness campaigns on safe vape use and disposal, and publishes a toolkit of posters and social media materials that councils, retailers and other organisations can share.

What Steps Should Health and Safety Professionals Take to Prevent Fires?

If you work in waste management, these steps will help reduce the risk:

• Keep battery waste separate. Keep vapes and other battery waste out of mixed waste wherever possible. Crushed or damaged lithium-ion batteries can ignite rapidly and give off toxic gases.
• Target the highest-risk stages. Review and update fire risk assessments for waste reception and tipping, refuse collection vehicles, compactors, shredders and crushers, conveyors and sorting equipment, and waste storage areas.
• Train your people. Make sure workers can recognise battery-containing waste, know how to handle it, and know what to do if a fire starts.
• Check your emergency arrangements. Make sure fire detection, suppression and evacuation plans reflect the risk lithium-ion batteries pose at each stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Can Vapes Cause Fires at Waste Facilities?

Vapes contain lithium-ion batteries, which can be damaged or crushed during waste collection, sorting and processing. Damaged batteries can ignite, creating a fire risk in bin lorries and at recycling and waste sites.

Can Vapes Be Put in Household Recycling Bins?

No. Used vapes shouldn’t go in general waste or household recycling. Take them to a vape recycling point, such as a collection bin at a vape shop, supermarket or recycling centre.

Are Disposable Vapes Banned in the UK?

Yes. The sale and supply of single-use vapes has been illegal across the UK since 1 June 2025.

What Should I Do With Old or Used Vapes?

Keep the vape somewhere safe until you can recycle it, and don’t put it in general rubbish or household recycling. Take it to a vape collection point when you can.

How Can Waste Management Companies Reduce the Risk of Fires?

They can encourage the public to separate vapes correctly, train workers to recognise battery-containing waste, and review fire risks at the stages where batteries are most likely to be damaged.

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