Vapes and Batteries can Explode

When batteries and vapes are placed in your bin, they can get crushed during collection.

This can cause them to ignite, putting crews, vehicles and the public at risk. Councils across the UK, including Leeds City Council and West Sussex County Council, have reported fires linked to incorrectly disposed of batteries.

Many single-use batteries are still ending up in general waste, which means they go to energy recovery instead of being recycled. This can lead to harmful chemicals such as lead, cadmium, zinc, lithium and mercury entering the environment.

You can help by keeping batteries out of your bin. Simply place used batteries in a tied plastic bag and leave them on top of your grey-lidded bin on your collection day. If you use waste bags, you can take batteries to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Vapes contain batteries, too, so they need to be recycled separately. The easiest option is to take them to the Household Waste Recycling Centre, or you can find your nearest drop-off point using Recycle Now or Recycle Your Electricals.

By recycling batteries and vapes properly, you’re helping to prevent fires, protect crews and keep Blackpool safe and clean.

Disposable vapes also contain batteries and must be recycled properly. Do not put them in your general waste or recycling bin. You can take vapes to the Household Waste Recycling Centre or find your nearest recycling point using Recycle Now or Recycle Your Electricals.

Recycling batteries and vapes correctly helps prevent fires, protects crews and reduces environmental harm.