Did you know that waste experts, including Veolia and Biffa, face the danger of fires every single day? Many incidents happen because people incorrectly dispose of vapes. They are one of the most dangerous waste streams today. We want to have a closer look here, and explore recommendations for how to improve. Then, if you need to arrange skip hire in Redcar and other parts of Teesside, you can rely on us.

The problem

The issue is vapes, both disposable and rechargeable models, generally contain lithium-ion batteries. As a result, it is important to dispose of them carefully. Sadly, people often make mistakes and throw them in household or public bins, mixed recycling collections, and even skips. This can lead to fires.

What people need to remember is lithium-ion batteries are very dangerous it they are crushed and damaged. That can happen in the back of waste vehicles and at waste centres if they are not disposed of properly. It could even happen in a waste bin at home or in a public setting. Every time there is a fire, it puts people in harm’s ways.

Ban

Incredibly, the sale of disposable vapes was actually banned in the UK at the start of June 2025. However, over a year later, and there are still problems. While illegal, some shops still sell them. According to data from Material Focus, people throw away a massive 6.3 million vapes and pods weekly in the UK. So, you can see the scale of the problem. Speak to us if you need to arrange skip hire in Redcar.

Recommendations

Because of the seriousness of the issue, Material Focus is calling for big changes. Most crucially, they want sellers to do more to promote the fact that vapes are recyclable and to provide clearer collection schemes. Legally, sellers have to offer recycling points for vapes. However, in practice, some don’t and many fail to effectively tell consumers about them and what to do. This needs to change.

The main recommendation is that details of how to dispose of vapes should be as obvious as the adverts to sell them. So, information should be readily available and recycling points should be visible and accessible.

Benefits

Improving how people dispose of vapes would have a huge impact. Notably, it would massively reduce the risk of fires and the injuries/damage they cause. In addition, proper recycling would ensure more resources are saved. The lithium could go on to create new batteries for different products, including vapes, consumer electronics, and even EVs. This would be great for the environment.

Need to arrange skip hire in Redcar?

The UK has a great attitude towards recycling and protecting the environment. As long as people have the right information and access to the correct disposal services for different types of waste, we can be successful.

L&C Skip Hire works to provide the best solutions here. We offer clear advice on how to dispose of a massive array of waste. As a result, you can see if skips are right for you or if you need to make other arrangements. You can even contact us if you have questions or want to clarify anything.

So, if you want skip hire in Redcar or other local areas in Teeside, choose us. It’s easy to book on our website or you can get in touch.