WEEE Compliance Policy & Customer Information
This page features guidance on how to safely and compliantly dispose of vape waste, including batteries, pods and coils. We also cover EDGE Vaping's compliance statements and certificates, which cover our own legal obligations as vaping manufacturers and retailers to conform to UK WEEE and WBAR regulations.
What is WEEE?
WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. It is also known more commonly as e-waste.
This can refer to any discarded electronics that operate via an electrical battery, plug or cable. Being a broad umbrella term, this encompasses anything from large household appliances to smaller electronics, including our own vape kits and their individual components.
Despite a lack of electrical components, vape pods and coils are included in the WEEE criteria, and therefore must be disposed of in the same way as vape kits and batteries. This is due to the nicotine residue left behind from e-liquid inside discarded coils and pods, and also to ensure we can reclaim any precious metals used in their construction.
All WEEE categories include:
- Large Appliances - Washing machines, refrigerators and ovens
- Small Appliances - Toasters, hair dryers and vacuum cleaners
- IT & Telecoms - Laptops, mobile phones and tablets
- Consumer Electronics - Televisions, gaming consoles and stereos
- Other - Lighting, electronic toys, power tools and vapes
For more information on WEEE regulations, find the government article here.
What does WBAR mean?
WBAR is shorthand for Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations, which is a 2009 statute laid out by the government to properly manage the collection, treatment and recycling of waste batteries.
The responsibility of recycling these products relies on the manufacturers themselves, bearing the cost and effort to ensure the correct proceedure and care is taken in recycling them.
Where products such as the EDGE Go+ are only sold online, such as at EDGE Vaping, the business doesn't have to bear this responsiblity and instead uses the Distributor Take-Back Scheme (DTS). This is a UK Government scheme which funds council recycling centres where customers can dispose all types of WEEE.
Nonetheless, it is still our legal responsibility to guide our customers on how to safely dispose of any vapes and e-waste.
Primary Factors Covered by WBAR:
- Producer Responsibility - Any company that manufactures or imports batteries is responsible for the financial and physical aspects of collection, treatment and recycling.
- Seperate Collection - Ensuring waste batteries are not mixed with regular domestice waste - consumers should instead seek seperate battery collection points.
- Battery Categorisation - Regulations cover three primary categories of batteries: portable, automative and industrial.
- Registration and Reporting - Battery producers must register with their respective environmental agencies, track the volume of their batteries on the market and ensure all meet recycling targets.
For further information on WBAR, find the official Government regulations here.
Vape Disposal: What Is The Wheelie-Bin Symbol?
Any electronic equipment relevant to the above regulations must have a crossed-out bin symbol on either the packaging, the equipment or both. This equally applies to products here at EDGE, which always feature this symbol on the packaging and most often, the battery, pod or coil too.
After using EDGE products, or any type of vape product, don't bin them. Disposing of any electronics with this symbol in general waste is not only hazardous, but illegal. Incorrect disposal may cause fires, or even explosions when lumped in with general waste and destroyed in landfill sites. By disposing of your waste properly, you're helping the environment stay afloat.
Almost all local councils will provide recycling centres for e-waste, where vapes can be safely and correctly disposed of. If this is inconvenient or impractical, many supermarkets also offer recycling bins for e-waste. Make sure to check that you're using the correctly marked specialised bins.
For more guidance on finding your nearest vape recycling location, click the button below.
Vape Recycling FAQs:
Can you put vapes in the bin?
Can you put vapes in the bin?
No. Vape kits should never be placed in general waste, nor should accessories such as batteries, coils or pods. Instead, find a nearby recycling centre, or check for any e-waste bins at your local supermarket. Throwing vape batteries with general waste is hazardous and illegal.
Can vape pods be recycled?
Can vape pods be recycled?
Yes, just like vape kits, vape pods should be disposed of with e-waste. This is due to nicotine residue which is left over after use with a vape kit. It is also because a vape pod cannot be functional without being paired with a battery, which is why they're also classified as WEEE.
Can vape coils be recycled?
Can vape coils be recycled?
Yes, vape coils can be recycled, just like vape kits. Vape coils come under the WEEE umbrella due to their sole function and use being with vape batteries. As a result, coils should also be recycled at an e-waste recycling centre, or wherever e-waste bins are available, such as some supermarkets.
How do I recycle a disposable vape?
How do I recycle a disposable vape?
Disposable vapes are recycled exactly the same as a refillable vape or any other e-waste. They should never be thrown alongside general waste. Instead, find your nearest recycling centre or an appropriate e-waste bin, often found in supermarkets.
Use of disposable vapes has dwindled as a result of the 2025 ban; however, this only banned their sale, and many have stocked up in bulk prior to the ban and are still using them. If this applies to you, please ensure you throw your disposable vapes away responsibly to minimise any further damage to the environment caused by them.
Can I recycle e-liquid bottles?
Can I recycle e-liquid bottles?
Yes, e-liquid bottles don't come under WEEE, so you can recycle e-liquid bottles at home. Nearly all e-liquid bottles are made using PET, HDPE, or LDPE plastics, which are widely recyclable. To dispose of e-liquids safely, follow the below steps:
- Rinse out your e-liquid bottle. Be sure to empty it into a cloth or paper towel, as emptying into sinks can damage water treatement systems, cause environmental harm and damage your own pipes.
- After ensuring the bottle is empty, rinse it with warm water. Remove the cap, tamber evident ring and nozzle, throwing them in general waste. They cannot be recycled.
- Once the above steps have been completed, you may recycle the bottle in your mixed/plastic recycling bin.
Do keep in mind that regulations may change across councils. For more information, check the government website here to find your local rules and regulations.
Can EDGE recycle my old vape kits?
Can EDGE recycle my old vape kits?
Unfortunately, EDGE cannot accept any returned vape kits for recycling purposes. This is due to our classification as a small distributor - only selling vape kits online. Instead of a typical take-back service, EDGE is registered with the UK Government's official Distributor Take-Back Scheme.
By paying an annual fee towards this scheme, EDGE funds local recycling centres across the UK, where vape kits can be taken to be recycled. Through the DTS, as well as EDGE's compliance partner, Beyondly, EDGE is fully compliant with WEEE regulations.
How EDGE Complies With WEEE and WBAR
Because EDGE sells large volumes of vape batteries, coils and pods, we are partnered with the UK Government-backed compliance and sustainability consultancy, Beyondly. Based in Yorkshire, UK, Beyondly are a global-reaching consultancy that help businesses such as EDGE in navigating complex environmental regulations with confidence.
With the assistance of Beyondly, EDGE continues to achieve complete compliance with WEEE and WBAR policies, ensuring our part in the vaping industry is as sustainable as possible.
You can find our compliance statements and certificates in accordance with WEEE and WBAR below.
WEEE Compliance Policy & Certificate
EDGE, as a part of NextGEN360 Ltd, is a producer of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) and is therefore obligated under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations. We are fully compliant with all responsibilities as a registered member of UK government approved WEEE Compliance Scheme, Beyondly. Our WEEE producer registration number is WEE/HK3578RX.
We have formally documented policies relating to the WEEE Regulations and we review our processes on a formalised and regular basis to ensure we remain fully compliant.
The UK WEEE Regulations were first introduced in 2007 with the aim of reducing the amount of EEE ending up in landfill. As per the requirements of the Regulations, we finance the recovery and recycling of WEEE when it reaches the end of its life and ensure our EEE products are marked accordingly with a crossed out wheeled bin symbol and a date mark. We also provide information on reuse and environmentally sound treatment of the products.
Beyondly can provide more information about the WEEE Regulations: https://www.beyond.ly/services/weee-compliance/ or find out more at www.gov.uk/electrical-and-electronic-equipment-eee-producer-responsibility
WBAR Compliance Policy & Certificate
EDGE, as a part of NextGEN360 Ltd, is a responsible waste producer and is fully compliant with the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009.
Our batteries producer registration number is NPWD265775 and we are registered as a member of government approved batteries compliance scheme, BatteryBack.
For more information about the benefits to the environment presented by producer responsibility and the Batteries Regulations, please visit: https://www.beyond.ly/services/batteries-compliance/
If You Need Further Guidance
While this page covers how to dispose of your vapes, we understand you may want to be especially certain you're doing it right.
We are here to help. For any inquiries around WEEE compliance, safe vape disposal or general questions, contact our customer service team:
By phone: 0161 537 4740 (8:30am-4:30pm, Mon-Fri)
By e-mail: support@edgevaping.com
By live chat: 8:30am-4:30pm, Mon-Fri
Or, use the contact form below, and we will respond to your query as soon as possible.
