The public is being encouraged to recycle vapes and e-cigarettes after a report revealed they accounted for a third of all electrical items sold in Ireland last year.
The study, carried out by Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Ireland (WEEE Ireland), showed that approximately 1.1 million vapes were recycled in 2024, despite an estimated 31 million being sold nationwide.
During an appearance on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland, said: “We would really encourage, particularly the young people, to look at bringing those back to our battery recycling boxes, back to the original retailer that they bought the vape from.”
He urged people not to throw them away in regular waste bins.
Mr Donovan noted that returning vapes is free of charge, and they are accepted in WEEE Ireland’s blue battery collection boxes.
He explained that when vapes are recycled, they are dismantled, and their electrical parts and batteries are separated.
“Can it be repaired? Can it be reused after you’ve finished using it, and then, if not, send it to one of the authorised recycling points, like your electrical retailer and the local authority sites,” he said.
The report indicates that around 93 million household electronic products were purchased in the past year — nearly triple the number recorded in 2006.
It also revealed an increase in the number of households “hoarding unused devices,” rising from 22% in 2023 to 29% in 2024.
WEEE Ireland added that it collected 16.2 million small electronic appliances, 1.9 million lighting products, and 72 million AA batteries over the course of this year.
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