According to a report by Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland, approximately 31 million vapes were sold in 2024, yet only about 1.1 million were properly recycled.

WEEE Ireland CEO Leo Donovan called on people – especially younger consumers – to return used vapes to designated collection points. “We’d really encourage young people to bring vapes back to our battery recycling boxes or to the retailer where they bought them,” he said.

Donovan emphasised that vapes should be thrown in regular rubbish bins, as they contain batteries and electrical components that can pose environmental risks if not properly handled.

Vapes can be recycled for free and are accepted at WEEE Ireland’s blue battery collection boxes, in addition to electrical retailers and local recycling centres. Once collected, they are dismantled, with batteries and electronic components separated for safe processing.

“We’re asking people to consider: can it be repaired? Can it be reused? And if not, please take it to an authorized recycling point,” Donovan said.

The report also revealed that Irish households purchased around 93 million electronic items in 2024 – nearly triple the number bought in 2006.

Worryingly, more households are holding on to old devices. The number of homes “hoarding unused electronics” increased from 22% in 2023 to 29% in 2024.

In total, WEEE Ireland collected 16.2 million small appliances, 1.9 million lighting products, and 72 million over the past year.