Vape recycling

The Recycle Your Vapes campaign has come to Oxford as part of an Oxfordshire-wide initiative to recycled used vapes. The service provides extra ways for vapes to be recycled rather than being disposed of in litter bins, general waste, or mixed recycling where they can contaminate other recycling and cause fires in bin trucks or waste facilities.

The campaign provides the following vape recycling points:

• a kerbside collection of vapes as part of the normal small electrical recycling service (placed in a clear bag, on top of any bin lid)
• up to 60 new recycling collection points for vapes at small retailers, pubs and cafes across Oxford, Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington
• a new pink public recycling bin at each of the seven Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in Oxfordshire, including Redbridge

Who is funding the campaign

Material Focus, a not-for-profit organisation leading the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, has funded this initiative. It is one of 40 campaigns being run to encourage residents to recycle their electricals. This scheme is run in partnership with Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council.

What the campaign is about

The purpose of the campaign is to provide Oxfordshire residents with easy options for vape recycling. 1.3 million single-use vapes are thrown away every week in the UK (roughly two vapes every second), and an estimated 80,000 in Oxfordshire every week. Vapes pose a problem for waste collections as they are a small electrical which has the potential to cause safety problems for vehicles, sorting facilities and the people who operate them.

When the vape campaign launched

The campaign launched on Wednesday 29 November. On this date, vape recycling bins were installed at public drop off at various public drop off points across Oxford, Banbury Bicester and Kidlington, as well as Household Waste Recycling Centres, including Redbridge.

Why vape bins have been installed

Vape recycling bins have been installed to provide residents extra ways to recycle their used vapes rather than being disposed of in litter bins, general waste, or mixed recycling where they can contaminate other recycling and cause fires in bin trucks or waste facilities.

Vapes pose a problem for waste collections as they are a small electrical which has the potential to cause safety problems for vehicles, sorting facilities and the people who operate them. They also contain precious metals (e.g. lithium) which can’t be recovered if they are thrown in standard household bins.

How to dispose of used vapes

Resident living individual houses can put their used vapes in a clear plastic bag on top of any bin lid on their collection day. Vapes will be collected by the crew and place in the side of the vehicle for onward recycling.

Those living in flats can drop off their vape bins at one of the vape bins located across Oxford or at Redbridge Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Vape bin locations

The bins are dotted sporadically across Oxford, Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington. The location of the bins include small retailers, shopping areas, pubs and cafes.

See map of vape bin locations

New public vape recycling bins have also been placed at each of the seven Household Waste Recycling Centres in Oxfordshire, including Redbridge.

Where to go for more information

For more information about the campaign, please get in touch by email.