Oxfordshire celebrates success of disposable vape recycling scheme – 80,000 (2 tonnes) disposable vapes collected in just 12 months
Oxfordshire County Council in partnership with Cherwell District Council, Oxford City Council and ODS today announces that with support from the local community, they’ve successfully collected over 80,000 disposable, single use, vapes, weighing in at over 2 tonnes for recycling, as part of the disposable vape recycling scheme, which launched in November 2023.
New Material Focus research shows that with 8.2 million vapes now thrown away, or recycled incorrectly, per week in the UK – an increase of 3 million per week compared to last year. The issue of disposable vapes is not going away. With a ban due in just six months (June 2025), the production of vapes is continuing to morph with more new products entering the market such as “big puff”, which are adding to the issue. These new vapes have been designed by the producers to avoid the new regulations. The joint Oxfordshire vape recycling scheme demonstrates how clear guidance on vape recycling can mitigate the growing crisis and preserve valuable materials, like lithium and copper, for reuse.
The project encouraged residents across Oxfordshire to recycle their vapes via the provision of new and convenient recycling points for disposable vapes, which can often end up in litter bins or general waste, contaminating other recyclable materials and posing fire risks in collection vehicles and waste management facilities.
The initial disposable vape recycling scheme has now ended and Oxfordshire County Council confirms today that the majority of the collection points set up will remain in place. Residents can find further vape recycling points via the Recycle Your Electricals postcode locator and further detail on kerbside collections using Oxfordshire’s Waste Wizard tool.
Oxfordshire Celebrates Success of Vape Recycling Scheme Amid New Ban
This project has demonstrated how committed the local community is to recycling single use vapes, when simple recycling methods are made accessible. The consistent local reminders from Hypnocat, the Recycle Your Electricals mesmerising pink, fluffy mascot, who featured in leaflets and on eye-catching posters also made locals aware that anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled and turned into something new, ran alongside the project.
When the scheme launched, multiple recycling collection options were made available, including:
- New kerbside collection services for vapes for residents in Cherwell and Oxford
- New public recycling collections points in locations in Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, and Kidlington, including local bars, university premises, and public buildings
- Large pink bins placed at all seven household waste recycling centres in Oxfordshire
This is one of over 40 UK projects funded by Material Focus, the not for profit leading the Recycle Your Electricals campaign. The disposable vape recycling scheme joined other projects around the country in making it easier for 10 million UK residents to recycle their electricals.
The aim of the nationwide Electricals Recycling Fund is to significantly reduce e-waste and its environmental impact by making it easier for consumers to recycle their electricals. The projects that have been funded by Material Focus include a variety of recycling methods, from kerbside collections to more drop-off points in schools, community centres, and bring banks. Overall there will be over 400 new collection points plus kerbside collections for 5.5 million UK residents.
Recycle Your Electricals research has shown that 80% of consumers believe recycling is a good thing, and many of us already recycle things like paper and plastic. Research has also shown that most of us have unwanted electricals we want to get rid of. On average there are at least 30 electricals hidden away in drawers in UK homes, a total of 880 million items across the UK – with a simple repair many could be donated or sold to people who could put them to good use. And yet 39% of people bin electricals, rather than recycle or reuse them leading to over 100,000 tonnes of electricals thrown away every year. The aim of these projects is to overcome these issues by making it easier to repair, donate or recycle electricals.
Councillor Dr Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council with Responsibility for Climate change, Environment and Future Generations, said: “The best solution to this issue is for disposable vapes to be banned, which the government is planning to do and we welcome this. In the meantime, our joint efforts to get as many of these items as possible into the recycling system has been a great success, and we thank everyone who has taken part.”
Councillor Nigel Chapman, Oxford City Council Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies, said: “Once collected, the vapes were meticulously sorted and dismantled manually, with components such as plastic, aluminium, and lithium carefully separated and sent to approved recyclers. This process not only promotes responsible disposal but also recovers valuable materials that can be reused.
“Looking ahead, the government has announced a ban on disposable vapes by June 2025, encouraging consumers to opt for reusable alternatives. This aligns with our ongoing commitment to promoting sustainable practices.”
Councillor Ian Middleton, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services at Cherwell District Council, said: “Single use vapes are notorious for the dangers they present if they are not disposed of in a responsible manner. Not only are the batteries inside them a huge waste of resources if they are carelessly discarded, they can also cause serious fires if collected with general waste which represents a safety risk to refuse collectors and the general public.
“We were pleased to be able to provide residents in the district with an easy and safe way to recycle these tricky mixed material products from their homes via kerbside collections and local recycling points and look forward to them finally being banned next year.”
“The disposable vape recycling initiative in Oxfordshire has proven that vape recycling is important to the area and its residents. We are delighted with how engaged and supportive the local community has been and how the investment from the Electrical Recycling Fund has supported the success of the local project. As e-waste is the fastest growing waste stream, we hope to continue to see a rise in the amount of electricals recycled across the UK,” said Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus.
To find your nearest recycling point search recycle your electricals