Vape and e-cig recycling bins introduced at Orkney’s HWRCs

The Council has introduced specific recycling bins for vapes and e-cigarettes at our three Household Waste and Recycling Centres – Hatston, Garson and Bossack. 

Vapes and e-cigarettes should never be disposed of in general waste bins or litter bins given their potential fire risk. 

Anna Gibb, the Council’s Team Manager Environmental Services Policy, said: “Every vape, whether disposable or rechargeable, contains a small battery. Those hidden batteries inside vapes, and other electricals, can spark dangerous fires when crushed in bin lorries and at recycling centres. 

“Vapes are made of some of the most valuable resources on the planet - steel, aluminium, copper, lithium so it’s important that we recover these materials by recycling the vapes.  

“Used vapes and e-cigarettes can be taken to any shop that sells them, or to one of our HWRCs and just pop them in the specific bins being provided next to the household battery recycling containers.”