Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is reminding members of the public to dispose of old electronic items including single-use vapes at dedicated recycling points.
The incorrect disposal of old electronic items, especially high numbers of single-use vapes, is becoming a severe problem, with batteries and battery-operated devices now a leading cause of fires in waste collection vehicles and waste processing facilities. In the UK alone, 5 million single-use vapes are disposed of each week. This is equivalent to eight single-use vapes disposed of every second.
Due to the serious fire risk, vapes, e-cigarettes, and any other devices that contain lithium-ion batteries must not under any circumstances be placed in any wheelie bin. This includes recycling bins and residual waste (landfill) bins.
Most of the larger electrical retailers, which includes supermarkets, provide a takeback service for electrical goods – even items that they have not sold. The Comhairle also provide a collection point at Household Recycling Centres.
If you add your postcode to the following link it will provide details of your nearest drop off location – Where to recycle your electricals.
Common examples of other electronic items fitted with lithium-ion batteries include:
- Electronic toothbrushes
- Device chargers and power banks
- Shavers and trimmers
- Power tools,
- Flashlights
- Handheld vacuum cleaners
- Gaming controllers
- Bluetooth headphones and earbuds]
- Other wearable devices such as smart watches.