How to Recycle Vapes in Australia

How to Recycle Vapes in Australia

By Lottie Dalziel, Founder of Banish · Last updated: April 2026

Australians throw away an estimated 2.5 million disposable vapes every month. Almost all of them end up in landfill, and many of them end up starting fires. The problem isn't just the plastic shell. Inside every disposable vape is a lithium-ion battery, and those batteries cause an alarming number of rubbish truck and recycling facility fires every year.

The good news is that vape recycling in Australia has actually become easier since the federal government's 2024 reforms, which brought disposable vapes into pharmacies under a prescription model. The bad news is that most people still don't know what to do with the ones they already own. This guide walks you through every option.

Why you can't put vapes in the yellow bin (or any bin)

Vapes are a nightmare waste product. A single disposable vape contains:

  • A lithium-ion battery that is still partially charged when discarded
  • A plastic outer shell, usually a mix of resins
  • A metal heating coil
  • A cotton or fibre wick
  • Residual nicotine liquid, classified as a hazardous chemical
  • Traces of heavy metals including lead, nickel and chromium

That combination means vapes can't be processed by kerbside recycling systems, which are designed for clean, single-material items like paper, cardboard, glass and rigid plastics. If a vape goes through a yellow-bin sorting facility, the battery inside can short-circuit, ignite the surrounding material, and take down the whole plant for hours. Cleanaway and other major waste operators have publicly flagged battery fires, including from vapes, as one of their top safety risks.

In the general waste bin it's almost worse. The vape will sit in landfill for decades, leaking nicotine and heavy metals into soil and groundwater. The battery may also ignite long after the vape is buried.

Does BRAD accept vapes?

The honest answer is no, not directly. BRAD, our Banish Recycling and Diversion program, handles a lot of hard-to-recycle items, but anything containing a lithium battery needs specialist handling that sits outside what we can safely do in-house.

For vapes specifically, we point people to B-cycle and participating pharmacies, because those channels are built for lithium battery safety and they're completely free to use. If you're sending BRAD a Mega Box and you've got a few vapes lying around, leave them out and use the options below instead. We'd rather you do this safely than have a battery incident in transit.

Where to recycle vapes in Australia

Option 1: B-cycle (free, nationwide, recommended)

B-cycle is Australia's national battery stewardship scheme and it officially accepts vapes. There are thousands of drop-off points across the country at retailers like:

  • Bunnings Warehouse
  • ALDI
  • Battery World
  • Officeworks
  • Woolworths (selected stores)
  • Many councils and public libraries

Use the B-cycle drop-off locator at b-cycle.com.au to find your nearest collection point. The service is completely free for consumers, funded by a levy on battery manufacturers.

One small but important detail. When you drop a vape into a B-cycle bin, place it gently. Don't crush it, don't puncture it, and don't stack heavy items on top. A damaged vape can short-circuit inside the collection bin.

Option 2: Pharmacy take-back (post-2024 scheme)

Since July 2024, disposable vapes are only legally sold through pharmacies in Australia, and many of those pharmacies now offer take-back bins for used vapes. This is part of the Therapeutic Goods Administration's broader product stewardship push.

Not every pharmacy participates yet, so it's worth ringing ahead. Chains like Chemist Warehouse, Priceline and TerryWhite Chemmart have committed to the scheme, but uptake varies by store.

Option 3: Council e-waste drop-off

Most Australian councils run permanent or periodic e-waste drop-off facilities. These accept small electronics, batteries, and often vapes as well. They're also free. Check your council's website under 'waste and recycling' or 'hazardous waste' to find your nearest facility and its opening hours.

In Sydney, City of Sydney residents can use the twice-yearly household chemical collection events. Inner West Council has a permanent Community Recycling Centre at Summer Hill. Most other metro councils have similar arrangements.

Option 4: TerraCycle (paid, posted)

TerraCycle's Zero Waste Box program includes a lithium battery box that accepts vapes. You buy the box, fill it, and post it back for processing. It's a reasonable option if you've got a larger quantity to dispose of, say from a business or community collection, but for a handful of vapes at home, B-cycle or a pharmacy is easier and free.

How to prepare vapes for recycling

Before you drop vapes off, a few simple steps make the process safer for the people handling them.

  • Don't try to open the vape. Prising one apart exposes you to residual nicotine liquid and can damage the battery, creating a fire risk. This isn't a DIY job.
  • Place used vapes in a rigid container, not a plastic bag. A small cardboard box, an old takeaway container or a biscuit tin all work well for transport.
  • Keep them away from heat and direct sunlight while they're waiting to be dropped off. A kitchen drawer is fine. The boot of a car on a hot day is not.
  • If a vape is visibly damaged, swollen, leaking or burnt, handle it with gloves and drop it off as soon as you can. Don't combine damaged batteries with intact ones.
  • Never flush vapes or vape liquid down drains. The nicotine is harmful to marine life.

What happens when you recycle a vape?

Once a vape reaches a specialist battery recycling facility, it goes through a controlled process that separates the battery from the rest of the device. The lithium-ion cell is discharged safely, then shredded and processed to recover cobalt, nickel, copper and lithium. Those metals are sent back into new battery manufacturing.

The plastic shell is less valuable but can often be processed into low-grade plastic feedstock. The metal heating coil is recovered as mixed metal. Residual nicotine liquid is neutralised and disposed of under hazardous waste protocols.

It's a long way from zero-waste, and the most sustainable option will always be to not use disposable vapes in the first place. But for the ones already in circulation, recycling beats landfill by a wide margin.

What the 2024 vape law changes mean for recycling

A quick plain-English recap for anyone who tuned out when the laws changed. From 1 July 2024, disposable vapes are only legally available in Australia through pharmacies, under a therapeutic goods model. Over-the-counter retail sales were banned. Importation and manufacture of disposable vapes outside the pharmacy channel is also illegal.

For recycling, two things follow. First, the legal supply chain now sits inside pharmacies, which means pharmacies are well-placed to run take-back schemes. Second, there's still an enormous stockpile of pre-2024 disposable vapes sitting in drawers across the country. Those don't go away just because the law changed. If you've got a drawer full of old vapes, the options above all still apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put vapes in the yellow recycling bin?

No. Vapes contain lithium-ion batteries which can short-circuit and start fires at recycling facilities. They must always go to a dedicated battery or e-waste collection point, not your kerbside bin.

Are vape recycling programs free in Australia?

Yes. B-cycle drop-off is free for consumers, as are most pharmacy take-back schemes and council e-waste drop-offs. TerraCycle's Zero Waste Box option is the main paid alternative, and it's usually only worth it for larger quantities.

Does BRAD accept vapes?

No. BRAD does not accept vapes or any item containing a lithium-ion battery, because these need specialist handling we can't safely do in-house. Please use B-cycle, a participating pharmacy, or a council e-waste drop-off instead.

Can I take vapes to Bunnings?

Yes. Most Bunnings stores have a B-cycle drop-off bin near the entrance, and B-cycle officially accepts vapes alongside regular batteries. Place the vape gently into the bin. Don't crush or damage it.

What about refillable or pod vapes with removable batteries?

Separate the battery from the device and recycle each part through its correct channel. Lithium-ion batteries go via B-cycle. The plastic or metal device body can usually go with e-waste at a council drop-off. Pods and cartridges containing liquid should be dropped off alongside the battery to be safe.

Is it safe to store used vapes at home until I drop them off?

Generally yes, as long as they're stored in a cool, dry place and out of reach of children and pets. Nicotine residue is toxic if ingested. Use a rigid container, keep the lid closed, and drop them off within a few weeks rather than letting them accumulate for years.

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