Battery & Device Recycling

Battery Recycling: Why It Matters

Battery recycling isn’t optional for vape devices — it’s a legal requirement. Vape devices and their batteries are classed as electrical waste (WEEE) and must never be put in your household bin. Batteries can be a fire risk if damaged or crushed in general waste, and the lithium and metals inside them can be recovered and reused when recycled properly. Any product carrying the crossed-out wheelie bin symbol should always go through battery recycling, never the bin.

Why Vape Batteries Are Different From Household Batteries

Most vape devices use small lithium-ion cells, similar to the ones in phones and laptops rather than the disposable alkaline batteries you’d put in a torch. Lithium cells are more reactive when damaged, which is why councils and retailers treat vape battery recycling separately from ordinary battery drop-off points at supermarkets. Never bin a device with a swollen, warm, or damaged battery — recycle it through one of the routes below instead.

Option 1: Bring It In-Store

As a physical shop as well as an online retailer, we’re happy to take back your old devices and used batteries in-store at our Airdrie shop for safe, responsible battery recycling. Just bring them along next time you’re in — there’s no minimum quantity and no need to have bought the device from us originally. Our staff can also show you how to remove a battery safely if you’re not sure how, rather than you having to work it out yourself at home.

Option 2: Council Recycling Points

If it’s easier for you, most local councils provide dedicated battery and small electricals recycling points, including collection banks at supermarkets and household waste recycling centres. You can find your nearest option at recyclenow.com, which covers battery recycling locations across the whole of the UK, searchable by postcode.

Option 3: Manufacturer Take-Back Schemes

Some hardware brands run their own take-back or battery recycling schemes for larger devices — check the packaging or the manufacturer’s website if you’re unsure whether yours applies. This is most common with higher-end refillable kits rather than smaller pod systems, where the battery is usually built in and non-removable.

• Never put vape devices or batteries in your household bin
• Don’t puncture, crush, or attempt to open batteries yourself
• Keep used devices somewhere safe and dry until you can recycle them
• Tape over exposed battery terminals before transporting damaged devices

Battery Recycling: Common Questions

Do I need a receipt to recycle in-store? No — our in-store battery recycling drop-off is open to any device, whether or not it was bought from us.

What if the battery is swollen or leaking? Keep it away from heat, don’t attempt to charge it, and bring it in (or take it to a council point) as soon as possible. Tape the terminals if you can do so safely first, and avoid storing it near anything flammable in the meantime.

Can I recycle pods and cartridges the same way? Empty plastic pods without a battery inside generally go in general waste or plastic recycling depending on your council — it’s only the battery-containing device itself that needs dedicated battery recycling.

Is there a cost to recycle with us? No, battery recycling at our Airdrie shop is completely free, for any quantity of devices, and there’s no need to book ahead.

What happens to the devices once collected? They’re passed on to a licensed WEEE recycling contractor, who separates and processes the battery cells, plastics, and electronic components for reuse rather than sending them to landfill.