Up In Smoke
E-cigarettes have been massively influential in helping a lot of people to reduce or quit their smoking habit, even though it is a somewhat contentious issue as to whether vaping is good or bad for your health. One thing is for sure, the residues of the cigarette alternatives (just like normal cigarette butts) are a waste problem. In the long run, all the plastic waste created by e-cigarettes will eventually become harmful to the environment.
For this reason, people have begun looking for ways to recycle e-cigarettes, and fortunately, we are going to tell you how to do it.
1.) Dismantle The E-Cigarette
The first thing to consider when recycling is segregation. So do a little bit of segregation and dismantle the different parts of the vaporizer. Most of the separate parts of the e-cigarette can be recycled, but they must first be separated, as recycling companies cannot process them whole. E-cigarettes, especially the more expensive ones, are made with several parts that should be easy to unscrew or unclip and separate from one another.
2.) Put The Battery In Battery Bins
Batteries of any kind are toxic. They are not supposed to be mixed with other waste products because their chemicals destroy the protective layer around landfills. This is one of the many reasons why there are designated battery bins that can take batteries away and recycle them.
3.) Rinse the Cartridge
Used e-cigarette cartridges are harmful if improperly disposed. This is because they contain liquid nicotine. It is better to rinse them carefully with water before disposal or before recycling them.
As an incentive to get people to recycle e-cigarettes and their cartridges, you can find businesses who will trade your used cartridges for brand new ones. You won’t get one new one for one old one, but you may get one new one for every 10 old ones you give in, which is still a great exchange for something you’d otherwise throw away. Some recyclers even offer a loyalty scheme with points that can be collected and traded for new vaping equipment.
4.) Remove Metals from Vaporizer Tanks
Lastly, if you want to recycle the vaporiser tanks, you have to remove the coil, or other metals that are in them. After removing the metals, what is left is the plastic or glass parts. You can now put them in recycling bins for plastic or glass. On the bottom of almost every plastic product is a triangle with a number between one and seven, this is the plastic-type. Find out if your domestic recycling service recycles the plastic the vaporiser is made from before putting it in.
If you are keen to recycle e-cigarettes, it requires a small bit of effort on your behalf, but it’s worth it. This is why recycling companies are giving incentives for those who make the effort to keep the cycle spinning. If you don’t want to exert much effort, but you want to recycle e-cigarettes, there are companies that offer a recycling program for complete vaporisers, so don’t throw them in the bin, store them up.
Recycling the cardboard packaging
There’s many business out there who offer a cardboard recycling service including us. Some of the other options include our sister company Collect and Recycle who can arrange a national paper and cardboard recycling service.
Passion for Plastics
Here at Plastic Expert we are passionate about recycling plastic. We have learned just how amazing a material plastic can be when it is used properly, and we are eternally keen to share this knowledge. One of the main reasons we are so keen to promote plastic recycling is because industrial plastic waste is the hardest to tackle, and can pose the greatest threat to our environment, as opposed to paper and metal. We also know that plastic is made from oil, and so recycling plastic saves fuel and other natural resources. Recycling e-cigarettes may seem futile to some, but it is part of a bigger ideology to save the world from plastic waste.
