Does your vape kit or vape device use batteries? If it's a quality device, the batteries probably last you a long while. If not, you're probably changing them out pretty frequently. Either way, most vape users are likely tossing dead batteries in the trash when it's time to replace them (and probably the batteries of all their other household items as well).

The truth is, batteries pose a huge threat to the environment, property and homes, as well as human and animal lives when disposed of improperly. This is especially true with single use nicotine devices. The good news is that multiple organizations and businesses are finding ways for consumers to make battery disposable safe, fast, and easy. Learn more about how to dispose of your disposable batteries when it's time to switch them out on your vape device.

The Danger of NOT Recycling Batteries

As if the ever-greatening piles of trash on this earth aren't bad enough, improperly disposing of batteries is actually a huge risk to the environment, property, and lives. Batteries tossed by the wayside can and do often spark and ignite, wreaking havoc on forests, homes, and their inhabitants. 

A recent study developed by Resource Recycling reports that 50% of the Materials Recovery Facilities surveyed have seen an increase in fires in the last 2 years and 89% have experienced fires caused by batteries or have suspected batteries to be the fires' cause. In addition, the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) submits in 2018 that 65% of reported fires within waste facilities were caused by batteries. 

image and statistics provided by Call2Recycle

The Value of Repurposing Batteries

Your batteries may be dead, but that doesn't mean they're empty. Batteries collected for recycling still contain metals and chemical material that can be recovered instead of mining the land. The metal from batteries is frequently reclaimed into silverware, kitchenware, golf clubs, and the full circle of life: more batteries.

So while you're preventing your local area from going up in flames, you can also take comfort in the thought that the battery that served your device so well may one day power your vape again. 

image provided by Call2Recycle

How and Where To Recycle Your Batteries

The need to recycle batteries is getting increasingly more desperate, so businesses and non-profits have found ways to make it fast and convenient for consumers to turn them in. When it's time to get rid of your vape batteries, start at Call2Recycle. The organization has recycled over 14 million pounds of batteries over the last 22 years and has a drop-off locator available on their website to find the one nearest to you.

You may have noticed that big-name stores like Home Depot and Lowes offer battery drop-off - super convenient for those quarantine weekend trips to knock out some home renovations. Other companies like Staples and Walmart accept batteries, as well. Additionally, if you can't find a drop-off location in your area, Call2Recycle's online store offers safe packaging to ship your batteries to their facilities.

image and statistics provided by Call2Recycle

Time for Action

It often feels almost impossible to keep up with the destruction and waste-creation that has been snowballing for decades. To many simply sorting your trash or picking up litter simply doesn't feel like you're really making any kind of impact. Recycling your vape batteries is a real way for vape users to make a difference - quickly and easily with actual results.

When it's time to shop for new vape batteries, remember that your dead ones are literally a spark waiting to be ignited. Toss them in your car or purse for your next trip to the hardware store or to Walmart. If you value safe and responsible vaping, then the proper disposal of your vape batteries should be of equal concern. 

Sources

        Archuleta, Bob. SB-1156 Lithium-Ion Batteries: Illegal Disposal: Fire Prevention. 20 Feb. 2020, leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB1156. Accessed 11 Nov. 2020.

        Hill, Jerry. AB-1509 Solid Waste: Lithium-Ion Batteries. 22 Feb. 2019, leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1509. Accessed 11 Nov. 2020.

        RRS. “Data Corner: The Lithium-Ion Battery Risk at MRFs.” Resource Recycling News, 4 June 2018, resource-recycling.com/recycling/2018/06/04/data-corner-the-lithium-ion-battery-risk-at-mrfs/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2020.