WEEE stands for “Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment”, and the WEEE Directive concerns the waste generated from electrical equipment. Adopted as European law in 2003, the WEEE Directive was established to combat the dangerous side effects of electrical goods and the debilitating impact they can have on the environment.

As of 2013, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations became underpinning legislation in the UK.

WEEE regulations clearly state that retailers of electrical equipment MUST offer a take-back scheme to ensure that old electrical appliances are soundly disposed of. This is part of an effort to reduce environmental strain and lower the carbon emissions created by wasted electrical equipment.

Whilst specifically designed biodegradable vapes such as Slix disposables exist, one of the big concerns cited by the UK Government in their reasoning for outlawing disposable vapes was the environmental impact of disposables.

Although disposable vapes are being taken off of the market, the ecological footprint of reusable vape kits is still something to consider. As a result of the WEEE Directive, distributors of electrical equipment are required to provide customers with a means to recycle their old electricals, free of charge, when they purchase new electrical products.

This also applies to vape kits. Vapes and e-cigarettes fall under the umbrella of “electrical equipment”, and as such are required to comply with WEEE regulations. 

By law, vape distributors must offer some kind of process for taking back wasted vapes when members of the public purchase new electrical hardware from them.

As they pose both fire and environmental hazards when not correctly disposed of, vapes and e-cigarettes do not belong in general dustbins. Vape retailers are required to have a “waste vape” bin, which can be easily accessed by customers so that approved recyclers can properly dispose of surplus electrical refuse. The crossed-out dustbin symbol found on vapes and other electrical appliances indicates that they should not be thrown in general waste.

What this means is that if you buy vapes from any of our Vape Shop stores, we will recycle your old kits at no extra cost!

During a time when electronics are the UK’s fastest-growing form of waste, this scheme has the transformative potential to massively reduce the impact that discarded vape kits have on the environment, whilst working to create a more green and eco-friendly future. Determined to do our part for the environment, here at Vape Shop we are beyond thrilled to recycle unwanted vape kits and e-cigarettes!

We are steadfast in our commitment to both responsibly dispose of and recycle vaping products. Ethically handling electrical waste stops harmful chemicals from polluting the environment, and doing preventable damage to our beautiful planet.

If vaping products are not dutifully managed then this can lead to toxic chemicals leaking into the Earth, and causing needless damage. Vapes and e-cigarettes can take up to 1000 years to decompose, so it is absolutely crucial that they are kept out of landfills, in order to avoid gratuitously hurting the planet for generations to come.

Conversely, when vaping products are managed responsibly useful materials can be salvaged and recycled, which works to promote sustainability over unhealthy practices. Alternative uses can be found for old items that can’t be disposed of, and spare metals and plastics are processed into components for brand-new products.

This process prevents ecological damage, and ensures that you can have a stress-free vaping experience, without worrying about harming the environment!

Compliance with the WEEE Directive is inexpressibly useful in tackling the carbon footprint of vaping. When the correct measures are taken, we don’t need to worry about nasty chemicals ending up in our water and soil, or long-lasting metals and plastic causing colossal waste.

Making use of the waste vape bins in Vape Shop stores and other vape retailers ensures that you aren’t contributing to electrical waste, whilst also having other surprise benefits! When you recycle vapes with lithium batteries, those batteries can be salvaged and reused in devices such as electric cars, which have further positive impacts on the environment.

In summary, the WEEE Directive and its regulations are a fantastic way to create a more green and stable future for both vapers and those who sell vapes!