Why Vapes Are Starting Fires in Bins, Bin Lorries and Waste Sites

For something that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, a used vape can cause a surprising amount of damage once it ends up in the wrong bin.

Vapes contain batteries, and when those batteries are thrown into general waste they can be crushed by collection vehicles or damaged by machinery at waste and recycling facilities. Once a lithium-ion battery is punctured, compressed or otherwise damaged, it can overheat and ignite, potentially setting fire to the surrounding rubbish before anybody even knows where the problem started.

It is not a small issue. Material Focus reported in March 2026 that around 6.3 million vapes and pods were still being thrown away across the UK every week, despite the ban on single-use vapes having come into force on 1 June 2025. The same research highlighted more than 1,200 battery fires in the UK waste stream, up from around 700 in 2022.

The single-use vape ban may have reduced the number of completely disposable products being sold legally, but it has not removed the problem. Rechargeable and refillable vapes still contain batteries, and they still need to be recycled properly when they reach the end of their life. The Government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards launched a specific safety campaign in March 2026 reminding people not to put used vapes in either general waste or household recycling.

For waste companies, the message is simple: a vape that looks dead can still be a fire risk.

How does a vape actually start a fire in the waste system?

Most people throwing away an old vape are not imagining what happens to it once the bin is emptied.

Household and commercial waste is moved, tipped, compacted, crushed and sorted using heavy machinery. A vape sitting harmlessly at the bottom of a bin can therefore end up under considerable pressure once it reaches a collection vehicle or processing facility.

That is where the battery becomes the problem.

Lithium-ion batteries can react violently when they are crushed or damaged. The National Fire Chiefs Council has warned that these fires can spread rapidly, reignite after appearing to have been extinguished and release toxic gases, which makes them particularly difficult for firefighters and waste-site staff to deal with.

A fire does not necessarily start while the vape is sitting in your kitchen bin. It may begin later, when the waste is compacted in a bin lorry or processed alongside tonnes of other material. At that point, one small battery can potentially ignite everything around it.

That is why waste fires caused by batteries are so frustratingly preventable. The dangerous part is often hidden inside an ordinary-looking item that somebody assumed was safe to throw away.

It is not just disposable vapes

The ban on single-use vapes has understandably created some confusion around what can and cannot be thrown away.

From 1 June 2025, businesses across the UK were prohibited from selling or supplying vapes that were either non-rechargeable or non-refillable. Products remaining legally on the market must therefore be rechargeable and refillable.

That does not mean rechargeable vapes can go into the bin.

They still contain batteries and electrical components and should be treated as electrical waste when they are no longer usable. The same applies to vape pods and other battery-powered vaping devices. Recycle Your Electricals advises that vapes should be kept out of both household rubbish and normal recycling because of the risk of battery fires when they are crushed or damaged.

This is worth remembering because the newer products can sometimes look even less like traditional electrical equipment. A vape may feel closer to a packet of cigarettes than a mobile phone, but from a waste point of view it is an electrical item containing a battery.

Throwing one into a black bin is therefore much closer to throwing away an old power bank than throwing away normal packaging.

What happens when a vape fire starts in a bin lorry?

Bin lorry fires are particularly dangerous because the fire can begin inside a vehicle carrying a large amount of compacted combustible waste.

The driver may first become aware of the problem through smoke, heat or a warning from somebody nearby. Depending on the circumstances, the waste may need to be discharged onto the road or into another safe area so that firefighters can reach the burning material and stop the fire spreading through the vehicle.

Even where nobody is injured, the consequences can be significant. Vehicles can be badly damaged, roads may need to be closed and normal waste collections can be disrupted while the incident is dealt with.

At recycling and waste facilities, the scale can be larger again. Waste is often stored and processed in considerable volumes, which means a small ignition source can become a much more serious incident if it reaches surrounding material. The National Fire Chiefs Council has described incorrectly disposed lithium-ion batteries as an increasing challenge for fire services, with incidents capable of tying up firefighters for extended periods because of the risk of reignition.

All of this can start with an item that somebody could easily have taken to a proper recycling point.

Can you put a vape in a skip?

No vape should simply be thrown into a general waste or mixed-waste skip without the waste provider specifically confirming the appropriate collection route.

The reason is exactly the same as with ordinary household bins. Once the skip is collected, its contents will be moved and processed, and a hidden battery can be crushed along the way.

A skip is designed to make clearing larger quantities of suitable waste easier, but it is not a container for absolutely everything. Batteries, vapes and many other electrical items need to be separated from the main waste stream so that they can be handled correctly.

This is particularly relevant during house clearances, office clear-outs and commercial refurbishments. A drawer containing old vapes, batteries, chargers and small electrical items can easily end up being emptied into a skip along with cardboard, furniture and general rubbish simply because nobody stops to check what is inside it.

Sorting those items before the clearance begins takes very little time and can remove a significant fire risk from the waste.

The same principle applies to batteries hidden inside other products. Electric toothbrushes, wireless headphones, power banks, rechargeable tools and many modern gadgets can all contain lithium-ion batteries even when there is no obvious removable battery compartment.

When in doubt, keep the electrical item out of the general waste and check the correct disposal route first.

So where should old vapes go?

The easiest option for many people is to take the vape back to a retailer or use a dedicated electrical recycling point.

The Government advises users to store used vapes safely until they can be recycled, remove the battery where this can be done safely, and use retailer take-back schemes or dedicated vape and electrical recycling points rather than putting the device into household waste.

Recycle Your Electricals also says that retailers selling vapes are required to provide a route for customers to return used products for recycling. Local household waste and recycling centres generally provide facilities for electrical items and batteries, while some councils offer additional collection services.

Where a battery can be safely removed, it should be recycled through the appropriate battery collection route. Where it is built into the device and cannot easily be removed, the whole vape should be recycled as an electrical item.

The process may take slightly more effort than dropping it into the nearest bin, but that small inconvenience is preferable to putting waste workers, firefighters and expensive equipment at risk.

Businesses need to think about vape waste too

The problem is not limited to household bins.

Vapes can find their way into general waste at offices, warehouses, hospitality venues, shopping centres, construction sites and almost any other workplace where people use them. A member of staff finishes with a device, throws it into the nearest general waste bin and gives it no further thought.

Once enough people do the same thing, the risk builds.

Businesses can help by making it clear that vapes and batteries should not go into normal workplace bins and by providing a suitable collection point where appropriate. This is especially relevant for larger workplaces or sites with high numbers of staff, visitors or contractors.

Retailers selling vapes have additional responsibilities around take-back and recycling. Following the introduction of the single-use vape ban, retailers and distributors remain subject to electrical waste obligations, including providing routes for customers to return used products.

For other businesses, the main issue is often awareness. Staff may understand that a large laptop battery needs special handling but still see a vape as something disposable. A simple separate collection point, arranged alongside your usual business waste management, can help keep those batteries out of the main waste stream.

Millions of vapes are still being thrown away

The scale of the problem shows why one small item matters.

Material Focus estimated in March 2026 that 6.3 million vapes and pods were still being discarded every week in the UK. Although this represented a reduction compared with the period before the single-use vape ban, the number remains enormous when multiplied across a full year.

Those discarded devices also contain useful materials. Recycle Your Electricals says that up to 80% of the materials in vapes can be recycled, including materials such as lithium and metals that would otherwise be lost when the device goes into general waste.

The environmental argument for recycling them is therefore clear, but the immediate safety argument is probably easier to understand.

A used vape in the wrong bin can become an ignition source.

Once it has been mixed with tonnes of waste, identifying and removing it becomes almost impossible. The easiest place to prevent the fire is before the vape ever goes into the bin.

Clearing a property or workplace? Separate batteries and electricals first

Most people hiring a skip are not dealing with one specific type of waste. They are clearing a garage, renovating a property, emptying an office or getting rid of years of accumulated belongings.

Before everything starts going into the skip, it is worth spending a few minutes separating anything containing batteries, plugs or electrical components.

That means taking out old vapes and loose batteries, but also checking for power banks, small electronics, rechargeable tools and other battery-powered products that may have been forgotten in drawers or boxes.

Tell your waste provider what you need to get rid of if you are unsure. Different materials require different collection and recycling routes, and it is far easier to arrange the right service before the waste is mixed together than after the skip has been collected.

At Select A Skip, we help households and businesses arrange waste collections across the UK, including advice on what can go into a standard skip and what may need to be handled separately.

The general rule is straightforward: if it contains a battery, do not automatically assume it belongs in the bin or the skip.

A small device can cause a very big problem

Nobody expects an old vape to start a fire when they throw it away.

That is part of the problem.

Vapes are small, inexpensive and easy to treat as ordinary rubbish, yet the lithium-ion battery inside them does not become harmless simply because the device has stopped working. Once it enters the waste system and is crushed or damaged, that battery can create a serious fire risk for the people collecting, transporting and processing the waste.

The solution is not complicated. Keep vapes and batteries out of ordinary bins, household recycling and general waste skips. Use retailer take-back schemes, electrical recycling points or appropriate specialist collections instead.

One vape properly recycled will not make headlines.

One vape crushed in the wrong place might.

Need help with a house clearance, renovation or business waste collection?

Select A Skip provides skip hire and waste services across the UK for households and businesses.

If you are clearing a property, undertaking renovation work or dealing with a larger volume of waste, tell us what you need to dispose of before you book. We can help you choose an appropriate skip and identify materials such as batteries, vapes and electrical equipment that may need a separate collection route.

Get a waste collection or skip hire quote and make sure your waste goes to the right place.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put a vape in my household bin?

No. Government safety guidance advises that used vapes should not be placed in either general household waste or household recycling because of the battery fire risk.

Can vapes go in a skip?

Vapes should not be placed in a standard general or mixed-waste skip unless the waste provider has specifically confirmed an appropriate collection arrangement. They contain batteries and should generally be separated for electrical recycling.

Why do vapes start fires in bin lorries?

Vapes contain lithium-ion batteries. When waste is compacted or processed, those batteries can be crushed or damaged, which can cause them to overheat and ignite.

Where can I recycle an old vape?

Used vapes can be returned through participating retailer take-back schemes, electrical recycling points and household waste recycling centres. Retailers that sell vapes are required to provide a route for recycling used devices.

Are disposable vapes still legal in the UK?

The sale and supply of single-use vapes was banned across the UK from 1 June 2025. Vapes sold legally after that date must be rechargeable and refillable, but they still need to be recycled correctly when they reach the end of their useful life.