Vape Waste Remains a Growing UK Compliance Problem

Vape waste is still a UK problem, despite the ban on single-use vapes. It was meant to be the moment things changed for good. The single-use vape ban came into force on 1 June 2025, and most of us assumed the mountain of brightly coloured plastic and lithium would start to shrink. Yet recent research from Material Focus tells a different story.

Despite the ban, an estimated 6.3 million vapes and refill pods are being thrown away every single week, Material Focus found. Between 29th December 2025 and 9th January 2026, the not-for-profit organisation surveyed a sample of 1,000 people aged 16+, who have bought a vape or refill pod since 1st June 2025.

It is compulsory for all vape retailers to provide in-store recycling bins for used devices, regardless of whether a new one is purchased. So, it’s disappointing to discover that eight in ten vapers (80%) say there isn't enough information available about how to recycle vapes. Meanwhile, waste management company Biffa continues to receive over 200,000 vapes a month that have been incorrectly placed in mixed recycling collections they operate for local authorities.

The market has not disappeared, but rather shapeshifted into rechargeables, big puff devices and refill pods. The fire risks, the wasted materials and the consumer confusion have all come along for the ride.

Why vape waste is still a UK problem in 2026

For anyone hoping the ban would do the heavy lifting on its own, the latest figures are a bit of a wake-up call. Recycling infrastructure exists, but awareness, signage and staff training are patchy at best.

The truth is, behaviour change takes longer than legislation. And while the rules tighten, the vape waste keeps piling up.

UK vape waste statistics: key findings from Material Focus

Material Focus carried out the largest piece of research yet on UK vape disposal habits. The findings make for sobering reading:

On sales and disposal:

• 5 million rechargeable vapes are now bought weekly, showing the market has simply shifted shape
• 3 million vapes and pods are still thrown away every week in the UK, compared to 8.2 million in 2024
• A 23% reduction year on year is welcome, but nowhere near enough to call this a turning point

On consumer awareness and behaviour:

• 47% of vapers still don't know that vapes can be recycled at all
• 80% of vapers say there isn't enough information available about how to recycle them
• Only 53% of supermarket recycling attempts succeed, compared with 65% at specialist vape shops
• 49% of vapers would prefer to recycle at the point of purchase, and 57% are more likely to buy from retailers offering takeback

On resource, environmental and safety issues:

• 18 billion vapes have been discarded over four years, containing enough lithium to power nearly 5,000 electric vehicles
• 1,200 battery fires a year are caused by vapes and similar devices in bin lorries and waste centres, a 71% rise on 2022

Evidently, we are quite literally throwing away the raw materials of the energy transition.

The lithium-ion batteries inside vapes and e-cigarettes remain a serious fire hazard when they end up in general waste, and consumer behaviour has not caught up with the law.

 UK vape recycling rules: WEEE regulations explained

What is the legal situation around the disposal of vapes and e-cigarettes in 2026? Here is the official line: Vapes are electrical items, whether they are single-use or reusable. This means they are covered by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.

If you sell vapes (are a ‘distributor’), you must offer a ‘take back’ service. This means you must accept vapes and vape parts (such as used refill pods, coils or batteries) that customers return for recycling.

Remember that this includes any single-use vapes returned by customers after the ban began on 1 June 2025.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards may take action against you if you do not have a way to safely recycle vapes and vape parts. Unsafe storage or improper disposal of vapes is a fire risk. Vapes should be disposed of in vape bins only and regularly collected for recycling.

 Why vape waste is still a UK problem: The consumer education gap

Returning to the Material Focus data, if nearly half of vapers (49%) don't know recycling is even an option, no amount of regulation will close the loop on its own. This is where ERP UK has been banging the drum for some time. Compliance schemes, retailers and producers all have a role to play in turning legal obligations into everyday habits.

The Material Focus data backs up what we've been seeing on the ground. In-store recycling points exist in their thousands, but if customers can't see them, can't understand them, or aren't prompted to use them, they may as well not be there. Visibility, signage and a friendly word from staff at the till do more for participation than any policy document ever will.

There is also a fairness issue worth flagging. Independent corner shops face the same legal obligations as the big chains, but rarely have the same resources to meet them. Many simply don't know what's required of them, and that's a gap the industry needs to plug, not paper over.

A nod to the OPSS campaign

It's also worth flagging the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) campaign on safe vape use and disposal. Their #SmallHabitsBigDifference and #DontBinThatVape messaging is doing important work in nudging consumers towards the right behaviour, and with clear consumer messaging, a vapes safety toolkit, social media resources and posters to download and print it dovetails neatly with what producers and retailers are doing on the ground.

If you've got customer-facing channels, lending your voice to the campaign is a low-cost way to help shift the dial. Find out more on the OPSS website.

What's coming in 2026 for vapes and e-cigarette regulations?

The regulatory landscape is moving quickly, and the next twelve months will bring some of the most significant changes yet for vape producers and retailers. Encouraging more consumer participation in vape takeback and recycling is going to be important, and should be considered an essential part of business strategy in the vape and e-cigarette trade.

Category 15 takes centre stage. Vapes and e-cigarettes were re-categorised from EEE Category 7 to a new Category 15 on 12 August 2025. Category 15 acknowledges that vapes need specialised treatment for battery recovery and the safe handling of liquid residues. Producers placing vapes on the UK market must ensure their reporting reflects this change.

Binding collection and recycling targets. Defra has now confirmed the final WEEE collection targets for 2026, including, for the first time, a standalone category for vapes and e-cigarettes. The target for category 15 has been set at 288 tonnes - that may not sound like a big number – but it is a lot of vapes!

ERP UK responded to the consultation process, alongside others in the sector, calling for a more cautious approach in light of limited data on vape recycling volumes. While the final figure was reduced slightly in response, it remains a stretching target - and one that may prove difficult for the UK to meet without a step change in collection and reporting.

Tighter enforcement. The Environment Agency, Trading Standards and Defra have all signalled they're stepping up oversight. Expect more audits, more investigations and, for repeat offenders, the prospect of unlimited fines or criminal prosecution. Rogue traders who've been flying under the radar should not bank on continuing to do so.

A new licensing system. Proposals are also on the table for a new licensing regime, for the sale of tobacco and vapes.  There have been widespread calls for this to include making compliance with takeback obligations a licence condition. If your house isn't in order, you may find it harder to keep selling.

Producers and retailers who've been treating compliance as a tomorrow problem will find tomorrow has arrived.

How ERP UK can help

This is where we come in. ERP UK has been simplifying environmental compliance for more than 700 businesses across the UK, and our vape and e-cigarette services are designed to take the heavy lifting off your plate.

Takeback services that actually work. We provide compliant collection containers tailored to your site, whether that's a 10-litre countertop tube for the front of the shop, a 20-litre floor-standing version or a 30-litre UN-approved drum with vermiculite for back-of-store storage. Once a container is full, we'll book a collection and have one of our partners on site within 14 days to empty it and send the contents on for proper recycling treatment.

Compliance scheme membership. As a vape producer, you need to be registered, you need to be reporting, and you need to be ready for the recycling targets in 2026. We handle registration and quarterly reporting on your behalf, so you can focus on running the business rather than wading through Defra guidance.

Data services that stand up to scrutiny. Accurate data is the backbone of compliance. Our Data Services team helps you collect and calculate the weights, materials and quantities you need to report, building an audit trail that holds up if regulators come knocking. With Category 15 reporting now live, getting this right is more important than ever.

Regular regulatory updates. Through our newsletters, workshops and webinars, we keep you in the loop as the rules evolve. That means no nasty surprises, no last-minute scrambles.

Operational support. Our Operations team arranges takeback and recycling from your sites and customer locations, so the logistics are handled end to end.

Time to get your house in order

The picture painted by Material Focus is clear. The ban has helped, but it hasn't solved the problem. Vape waste is still a UK problem, the fire risks are real and the materials we're losing are too valuable to keep burying.

With Category 15, binding targets and tighter enforcement all landing in 2026, the smart move is to act now rather than scramble later.

If you're a vape producer, importer or retailer wondering where to start, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch with the team at ERP UK to find out how we can help you stay compliant, recycle responsibly and turn your obligations into a genuine point of pride.

Contact us today

Contact ERP UK today to discuss how our specialised vape and e-cigarette compliance services can support your business through 2026's regulatory changes and beyond. Don't leave it until March. Start building your compliance advantage now.

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