Single use vapes spark surge in blazes as three dumped every second

Three¹ disposable vapes are being binned incorrectly every second in the UK, causing a surge in fires in council refuse trucks and waste processing plants, a new study shows.

Research released today by public sector insurer, Zurich Municipal, reveals 78%² of the 138* million single use vapes sold every year in the UK are dumped in general waste, instead of being recycled. It means more than two million single use vapes are thrown away improperly every week. Last year, a report by Material Focus** found 1.3 million vapes of all types are discarded every week.

The study reveals widespread consumer confusion over the correct way to dispose of spent vapes, with three out of four (72%) users unaware the devices cannot be binned in household waste or recycling. As a result, 107 million disposable vapes a year are ending up in the general waste stream, where they are being blamed for a sharp rise in fires.

Freedom of Information³ data obtained by Zurich Municipal shows the number of bin lorries hit by blazes has leapt 62% in the last two years. Fire crews in the UK were called to 125 fires in 2022, up from just 77 in 2020. Alarmingly, the data shows house fires sparked by vapes have also more than doubled in two years from 59 in 2020 to 123 in 2022 – an increase of 108%.

Growing problem

The number of vape users in the UK has grown rapidly – from 3.7 million in 2021 to 4.3 million** last year - but consumer education has failed to keep pace. Despite the potential fire hazards posed by vapes, three out of four (70%) users are unaware the devices contain lithium batteries. A further two thirds (63%) do not realise the batteries can combust if they are damaged or crushed.

Last year, research by Material Focus***, a non-profit organisation that promotes the recycling of electrical items, found more than 700 fires in refuse trucks and recycling centres were caused by batteries that had been dumped in general waste.

As well as picking up the cost of fires caused by spent vapes, taxpayers are also footing the clean-up bill. Almost one in 10 (7%) vape users said they typically drop empty devices in the street, meaning as many as 9.6 million⁴ end up in the gutter each year – the equivalent of 26,500 every day.

Alix Bedford, a risk expert at Zurich Municipal, said:

“Laid end to end, the number of disposable vapes discarded incorrectly in the UK every week would circle all 117 miles⁵ of the M25. This highlights the huge and growing scale of vape waste local authorities are grappling with.

“While councils have long battled the nuisance of cigarette litter, single use vapes are emerging as an altogether more complex and hazardous problem. Flammable lithium batteries inside vapes pose a hidden danger to waste and recycling workers and are causing costly damage and disruption to waste management services.

“With house fires sparked by disposable and rechargeable vapes also on the rise, the government must take a lead in driving consumer awareness to curb this growing threat.”

Charlie Pugsley, London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety, said:

“Compared to the number of fires we see caused by cigarettes, vaping could be seen as a much safer option.

“However, we are concerned that there are often cases where vapes have been disposed of and the batteries have short-circuited and caused a fire. Vapes must be disposed of carefully as there is a very real potential of them starting a serious fire.

“If you are using vaping products, it’s vital you only use the charger it was supplied with and never overcharge it.”

Lord Foster of Bath, who is calling for tighter regulation on lithium batteries, said:

“As lithium batteries become increasingly integrated into our everyday lives, it is crucial that we recognise and address the potential hazards they pose. Discarded incorrectly, single use vapes are a ticking timebomb. With millions of lithium batteries ending up in general waste every week, the government needs to act to protect people’s safety and the environment.”

Phil Clark, National Fire Chiefs Council, Emerging technologies Lead, said:

“Fires caused by lithium batteries can be prevented by the correct disposal of everyday products like vapes. These fires can be serious incidents which can put firefighters and staff working in waste and recycling centres at risk of harm.

“NFCC would welcome more consumer messaging. Further work to make the disposal of these products easy and accessible would be a great support to the prevention advice fire and rescue services share with their communities.”

Lack of consumer awareness Single use vapes, which last around 600 puffs, can be discarded at household recycling centres or at retailers that sell the devices or other electrical items.

However, a majority of the 1,000 vape users surveyed by Zurich Municipal said they typically binned disposable vapes in household waste (41%), street bins (28%), household recycling (27%) and at work (20%). Just 15% said they use a local authority recycling site while only 13% returned used vapes to retailers. Just 15% of consumers knew larger stores that sell small electrical items – such as supermarkets – offer take back schemes for vapes and other items that contain lithium batteries.

With e-cigarettes containing 0.15g of lithium, it means more than 16 tonnes of the rare metal is ending up in landfill or incinerators each year - enough to build batteries for 2,000⁶  electric cars.

Half (48%) of vape users backed a campaign to raise public awareness of the proper ways to dispose of single use vapes. Some 42% of consumers felt vape packaging does not contain enough information on safe ways to dispose of the devices.

Bedford said:

“A lack of consumer knowledge around the safe disposal of vapes is putting lives and property at risk. The government should launch a national consumer campaign to raise awareness of the correct way to dispose of vapes, and other items powered by lithium batteries. As the prevalence of lithium batteries grows, ministers should also explore a fully funded kerbside collection service for waste electricals, including vapes.”

Zurich also called for the government to create a separate category for vapes under Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling regulations, to ensure vapes can be collected and recycled in a safe way.

Notes to editors

Research carried out by One Poll for Zurich Municipal across 1,000 UK adults who vape in June 2023

*Financial Times - 138 million disposable vapes were sold last year in the UK according to FT calculations based on NielsenIQ data
**Material Focus - One million single use vapes thrown away every week contributing to the growing e-waste challenge in the UK
***Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Use of e-cigarettes among adults in Great Britain
**** Material Focus - Over 700 fires in bin lorries and recycling centres are caused by batteries many of which are hidden inside electricals

Calculations

¹ 78% of 138,000,000 = 107,640,000 disposable vapes thrown away incorrectly every year, the equivalent of 2,070,000 per week or 3.4 a second
² 78% of disposable vape users surveyed by Zurich Municipal reported they typically disposed of used vapes in household waste, household recycling, street bins, or workplace bins
³ Freedom of Information requests based on responses from 30 out of 48 UK Fire and Rescue Services contacted by Zurich Municipal
⁴ 7% of 138,000,000 = 9,660,000 a year or 26,538 thrown on the street a day
⁵ Based on an Elf Bar height of 104mm (4.09 inches) x 2,070,000 disposable vapes thrown in general waste per week = 8,466,300 inches or 133 miles
⁶ 0.15g x 107,640,000 = 16.146 tonnes. 16146kg divided by 8kg of lithium in an electric car battery is sufficient to make batteries for 2,018 vehicles

How to safely dispose of vapes and other items that contain lithium batteries

• Use a local refuse collection: Some local authorities offer the specific option to pick up electrical waste during the usual collection or on request. Contact your local authority or visit their website to find out if this is an option in your area.
• Visit a local authority recycling centre: Bins are typically provided for the safe disposal of batteries. All other parts of your vape (or the entire device if the vape battery cannot be removed) can be placed in the electrical waste bins.
• Go to a local recycling bank: Some recycling banks in carparks and designated roadside areas have dedicated bins specifically for the disposal of electrical waste.