TEE CEE’S TIP
Dear Tee Cee, My partner vapes (but is trying to quit). We’re not sure how or if they can even be recycled, so we have just been collecting them in a bag. Are they considered hard-to-recycle waste?
Are the drop-off programs at vape stores legit? I’d just like to know how to deal with them.
— Anonymous
Dear Anonymous, Vapes aren’t just bad for your health, they’re bad for recycling. Though they have been on the market for a relatively short time, they have created a new, growing, and hazardous volume of waste for recyclers to try and deal with. Here are a few things to know about properly disposing of spent vapes:
They do NOT go in your curbside recycling, your trash, or to a hard-to-recycle center. Like so many other products, vapes are not designed to be recyclable. The lithium-ion batteries in vapes create a serious fire hazard for recyclers and trash haulers alike, and the mystery liquid could expose workers to unknown health problems.
Vapes are considered hazardous waste. The lithium-ion batteries and liquids in vapes are hazardous, so they need to be handled by a licensed hazardous waste facility. Unfortunately, the only truly recyclable piece of a vape is the battery, and that can only be accessed on devices that can be taken apart by someone who is professionally trained.
There aren’t great systems to recycle them, but you can safely dispose of them. The Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management Facility (or HMMF, located at 1901 63rd Street in Boulder) will accept disposable devices, cartridges and pods, eliquid, and batteries and safely dispose of them. Note that they cannot accept Thc/cannabis devices. Additionally, the Boulder County Vape Aware webpage (link provided below) includes a map of legitimate drop-off locations that work with the County, including at Front Range Community College.
To answer your question about drop-off programs at vape stores, my advice would be to avoid programs that aren’t fully transparent about what becomes of disposed vapes to ensure you’re not participating in a “greenwashing” program designed to make you feel better about the waste. Programs that are working in partnership with Boulder County are the ones to trust.
There are resources to help. Just like every other type of waste, the best way to deal with vape waste is to make less of it in the first place. All sorts of information on the environmental and health impacts of vapes, including more information about proper disposal, can be found at bouldercounty.gov/environment/healthyhome/tobacco/vapeaware/.
Best of luck to your partner on their journey to quit vaping! — Tee Cee Unsure of how to recycle something? Check out Eco-cycle’s A—Z Recycling Guide at ecocycle.org, call Eco-cycle at 303-4446634, or email recycle@ecocycle.org.