Disposing of e-cigarettes and e-vapes
Vapes or e-cigarettes are a trend product that is seen as a healthier alternative to smoking. But at some point, disposable e-cigarettes are empty and even with reusable vapes, broken parts, used batteries and empty e-liquid containers have to be disposed of. The blu, JUUL, Vuse, VEEV ONE, IQOS, logic, Vype, Ploom, ELFBAR by Elfa, IVG Bar, Pod Salt, SMOK and other brands have one thing in common: e-cigarettes have no place in a normal rubbish bin - and certainly not in the great outdoors. The following text reflects the legal situation in the EU in general and Germany in particular.
Where can vapes be disposed of?
E-cigarettes are considered electrical appliances and must be disposed of as such. Yes, even disposable vapes. The good news is that manufacturers and retailers often offer a take-back service themselves: In general, empty disposable e-cigarettes, used refillable vapes and tobacco heaters can be returned to any retailer that sells such products, even if you are not buying a new device. This is possible on site in the shop or by mail in the case of online-retailers. Alternatively, specialist electrical shops with a sales area of 400 m2 or more and food retailers with a sales area of 800 m2 or more must take back old electrical appliances. With an edge length of up to 25 cm, this also applies if you do not buy a new device. This should apply to most e-cigarettes and e-vapes. Vapes can also be disposed of at a recycling centre.
Good to know: Components from high-quality e-cigarettes can often still be sold.
E-cigarettes: Dispose of batteries
The rechargeable batteries or batteries from disposable vapes are normally disposed of together with the device. However, the removable batteries of reusable e-cigarettes must not be disposed of with normal household waste either. Not only does the EU Battery Regulation stipulate this, there are also other important reasons for this:
- Many batteries and rechargeable batteries contain toxic substances that have no place in a normal household waste landfill or incineration plant.
- Lithium-ion batteries in particular contain valuable raw materials that can be reused.
- Batteries and rechargeable batteries - especially if they contain lithium - can cause fires. This is especially true if they are damaged, for example when the waste is compressed. Many fires in waste collection vehicles and disposal facilities are caused by incorrectly disposed lithium batteries and lithium-ion rechargeable batteries.
The good news is that you can simply dispose of the used batteries from your e-vapes where you dispose of your normal batteries, for example in the collection box at the supermarket or at the recycling centre.
Tip: If you do not use your reusable e-cigarette for a longer period of time, remove the battery and store it separately at a medium charge level. This will extend its service life and reduce the risk of battery fires.
Dispose of e-liquids
The disposal of e-liquids is also not entirely trivial. With disposable vapes, there is usually no choice but to dispose of them together with the e-cigarette - after all, they are usually permanently installed.
The situation is different if you want to dispose of the liquid containers from reusable vapes. In principle, the containers count as packaging waste and can be disposed of in the yellow bin or yellow bag. However, this only applies to completely (!) emptied liquid containers. The problem with this is that the liquid containers are not normally completely empty, especially if you don't use up a flavour you don't like. And: many liquids are toxic. E-cigarettes often contain the nicotine of several packets of cigarettes in just a few millilitres of liquid and the other ingredients in high concentrations are - to put it mildly - not all necessarily environmentally friendly. We therefore also advise against washing out the liquid containers (which can release toxins into the sewage system) or wiping them out. It is better to hand in the liquid containers of e-cigarettes at the recycling centre, preferably with the original packaging.
Disposing of e-vapes: for retailers and manufacturers
Retailers who (have to) take back used e-cigarettes and their components sometimes face major problems when it comes to storage and disposal:
- Like other old electrical devices, you have to recycle the used vapes properly.
- The liquids are sometimes toxic and can leak from damaged containers.
- Disused lithium-ion batteries from vapes also pose a potential fire risk.
We therefore recommend storing used e-cigarettes and their components in fireproof and leak-proof containers in order to fulfil the requirements for occupational safety and fire protection. RETRON and the REMONDIS Group will be happy to advise you on how to store old e-cigarettes safely and ensure they are disposed of correctly. Get in touch with us.
