Vape disposal program now available in Hume

Published on 07 May 2025

Hume City Council has partnered with Eco-batt to provide a safe way for residents to dispose of unwanted vapes and e-cigarettes. Disposal bins are now available at Hume Global Learning Centres in Broadmeadows, Craigieburn and Sunbury.

Each Centre now has two eye-catching neon yellow and blue bins – one for household batteries and one for vapes. These bins have been specially designed to store them safely so they can be collected and recycled.

Vapes are a hazardous waste item due to the lithium-ion batteries they contain. The chemicals in the e-liquid used in vapes are also a potential hazard that must be disposed of safely.

Lithium-ion batteries are driving an increase in the number of fires in waste collection trucks and at waste and recycling facilities across Australia. The waste sector deals with around 30 battery fires around the country every day. This adds up to over 10,000 fires a year, and represents a major safety hazard both to workers and the community.

Vapes, along with batteries and other e-waste, must never be put in the bin. Always take these items to a designated drop-off point to make sure they are disposed of correctly and the valuable materials they contain can be recovered and recycled into new products. Search Recycle Mate to find your nearest drop-off point.

For more information about disposing of batteries, vapes and e-waste, go to hume.vic.gov.au/e-waste.