Vape recycling | Dispose of e-cigarettes correctly

In 2022, over 10 million e-cigarettes were imported into Switzerland. By 2024, this number is expected to have increased significantly. A large portion of these imports consists of disposable e-cigarettes, which must be disposed of after only a short period of use. Since all e-cigarettes contain a lithium-ion battery, used vapes must never be disposed of in regular trash or in the natural environment. E-cigarette batteries are highly flammable and contain heavy metals that are harmful to the environment. They must be properly disposed of at a recycling center as electronic waste so they can be recycled.

What are e-cigarettes made of?

All e-cigarettes contain a lithium-ion battery. This and the other components contain lithium, nickel, cobalt, aluminum, copper and mercury. If disposed of incorrectly, these substances are harmful to the environment and should be returned to the recycling system. Basically, all e-cigarettes consist of the following components.

How are e-cigarettes recycled?

Recycling disposable- and reusable e-cigarettes is a complex process. The biggest problem is that the batteries inside are usually permanently built into the devices. These must be laboriously removed by hand from the device casing so they can be sent for recycling. To date, it has not been possible to remove the batteries mechanically due to the risk of short circuits and fires. In addition to the lithium-ion batteries, various plastics and metals are generated, which are also recycled or sent to waste-to-energy facilities.

How is the recycling of e-cigarettes financed?

In Switzerland, there is a kind of advance recycling fee, which is paid by the majority of all importers. The amount of CHF 0.10 per e-cigarette is charged as an advance recycling fee.

How to find the nearest collection point

• Open the Recycling Map.
• Enter your postal code or your place of residence.
• Now you can see the collection point in your area.
• Click on the red symbol - there you can see what exactly is accepted.

Alternatives to disposable E-Cigarettes

Recycling disposable e-cigarettes and vapes is a labor-intensive process. Yet it’s actually quite simple to avoid creating this unnecessary electronic waste. Just choose a reusable e-cigarette with a rechargeable battery, and you’ll prevent countless batteries from having to be laboriously recycled—without any extra effort.

1. prefilled pod systems

Prefilled Pod Systems consist of a rechargeable battery that can be recharged multiple times and pre-filled e-liquid cartridges that simply snap onto the battery mod. Using these devices is almost as easy as using disposable e-cigarettes—all you have to do is pop in a new e-liquid pod every now and then and charge the battery using a USB-C cable.

2. pod systems with separate liquid

A pod system consists of a battery carrier and a liquid cartridge into which you fill the e-liquid of your choice yourself. Handling a pod system takes some practice until you get the hang of it, but it's not rocket science. In return, you will be rewarded with a huge selection of different liquids and an extremely affordable price.

3. hybrid vapes

There are now also some excellent reusable models among the new hybrid vapes. Particularly recommended are the Elfbar 10000, the Vozol Vista Plug and the SKE CL6000, where the battery can be recharged several times.

Conclusion Vape Recycling Switzerland

Thanks to the advance recycling fee for e-cigarettes, used vapes can be recycled in Switzerland. However, this process is very labor-intensive, and not all recyclable materials can be returned to the recycling cycle. The purchase of disposable vape pens doesn’t make sense in the long run, for both environmental and economic reasons. Today, you have a variety of high-quality reusable systems to choose from that offer the same great flavor but have a significantly better environmental footprint.