Smoking, vaping and e-cigarettes

How to keep safe while smoking

Reduce the risk of fire from smoking:

• Only smoke outside. If you insist on smoking inside, take extra care and avoid smoking in bed as you could fall asleep and your bedding or clothing can catch fire.
• Properly extinguish all smoking materials, including cigarettes, cigars, and pipes when you’ve finished smoking.
• Avoid leaving lit smoking materials, cigarettes, cigars, and pipes unattended. They can easily over-balance as they burn down and set things alight.
• Use an ashtray that won’t tip over easily and isn’t made of material that can burn.
• Empty ashtrays often, and wet the contents before putting them in a bin outside your home. Avoid tipping the ash into a bin inside your house. Ash that has not fully cooled can smoulder and start a fire.
• Keep lighters and matches out of children’s reach. You can buy child-resistant lighters and matchboxes.

Please be aware of the increased risks of smoking around materials that have been exposed to emollients.

E-cigarettes or vapes

When buying e-cigarettes or vapes, make sure that you:

• check that the output voltage and ratings marked on the charger and the electrical device (battery) are the same
• look for a manufacturer’s brand name or logo, model and batch number
• check that the name and address of the producer that comes with the product is an address within the European Union
• check for a CE mark, but avoid relying on this alone to guarantee a product’s safety. A CE mark is a declaration from the manufacturer that the product is safe, but like all markings, it can be forged.
• make sure that instructions on how to use the product safely, conditions and limitations of use and how to safely dispose of the product are included and followed
• avoid disposing of e-cigarettes,  vapes or batteries in your household waste – see our guidance below on how to properly dispose of these types of items
• avoid buying counterfeit or substandard goods. These can be improperly manufactured, which can result in a higher risk of the item catching fire.

Safe disposal of vapes – How you can prevent fires and protect the environment

Improperly discarded vapes can pose serious fire risk and environmental hazards. The lithium-ion batteries found in vapes are a known fire risk when disposed of incorrectly, and the chemicals inside can contaminate water sources and soil.

Please avoid disposing of vapes in your general household rubbish or public litter bins.

Here are some safe and easy ways to dispose of them responsibly to help you do your part.

Retailer recycling

Most retailers that sell vapes are required to provide in-store recycling points. If you buy a vape, check with the shop about their take-back scheme for used ones.

For Somerset residents

You can now recycle both reusable and disposable vapes with your weekly kerbside recycling.

Simply:

• place used vapes in a small, clear, tied bag (like a sandwich bag)
• leave the bag on top of one of your recycling boxes
• avoid mixing vapes with other recyclables, batteries, or small electricals
• avoid placing vapes in your general waste bin.

Find more information on the Somerset Council website.

For Devon residents

You can either:

• use a Household Waste Recycling Centre: Here you will find vape-specific bins are available
• use a Retail Take-Back Scheme: Many stores will take your used vapes for appropriate recycling.

Please take your used vapes to the nearest participating centre or see the Recycle Your Electricals website to find your nearest recycling centre.