Study shows disposable e-cigarettes are highly recyclable, findings presented in UK Parliament

Recently, a study released in the UK Parliament showed that disposable e-cigarettes are highly recyclable. The research mainly focused on the widely used disposable plastic and aluminum e-cigarettes currently on the market, as well as Slix, a newly launched cardboard-packaged product from Middle Eastern e-cigarette company Ands.
The findings showed that 97.6% to 99.29% of these two types of e-cigarettes are recyclable or recoverable, with 74.8% to 80% being recyclable, and only 0.7% to 1.15% ending up in landfill.
However, the study also pointed out that despite the high recyclability of e-cigarettes, they still pose practical environmental challenges due to limitations in existing recycling systems and a lack of recycling awareness. For example, e-liquid containers and lithium batteries contain hazardous materials and require manual disassembly rather than mechanical processing, making recycling expensive and complicated. In addition, options for recycling plastic packaging remain limited, and used devices may require extra caution or specialized handling during disposal.
In response to the findings, Ands said it plans to launch a 100% recyclable product before the end of the year.