23.6 million vapes were littered or dumped in household bins across Ireland in 2025, new data shows.
Only 6% (1.4 million) vape and e-cigarette devices were returned for recycling in the 20 counties covered by Ireland’s largest e-waste recycling scheme, were returned for recycling, new figures from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland show.
WEEE Ireland also warned that the true scale of vape disposal in the country may be higher due to illegal vape imports and unregulated sellers.
To confront the issue, WEEE Ireland has launched a ‘Never Bin Vapes’ public awareness campaign, urging people to take responsibility for recycling disposable and rechargeable vapes correctly through the not-for-profit organisation’s free take-back network.
Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland, said: “Our research shows a concerning low awareness of correct vape disposal and that vapes are part of the free e-waste and battery takeback system.”
“Responsibility sits with every vape user to dispose of these products correctly and safely after use. Recycling them for free has never been easier, with thousands of WEEE Ireland Blue Battery Boxes available at supermarkets, newsagents, electrical retailers and local authority recycling centres nationwide.”
New research commissioned by the NGO found that while 9 in 10 adults understand that battery-powered devices incorrectly thrown into household bins can be damaged in bin trucks or recycling facilities, causing fires, awareness drops sharply when it comes to vapes.
Only 5 in 10 adults recognised that incorrectly disposed vapes pose the same fire risk, falling further to just 4 in 10 among younger adults aged 18-30.
The study also found that half of 18 to 30-year-olds believe vapes can be thrown into general household waste or recycling bins, compared to just a fifth of those aged 56 and over.
“These devices contain critical raw materials such as lithium, copper and cobalt that can be recovered and reused in manufacturing, supporting the circular economy,” Donovan continued.
“When thrown in the bin, those valuable resources are lost forever. There is also a very real fire risk if battery-powered products such as vapes become crushed or damaged during waste collection and processing.”
The campaign encourages people to recycle all disposable and rechargeable vapes for free wherever they see WEEE Ireland Blue Battery Boxes, which are available in thousands of locations across Ireland.
