From this week (24 November 2025), households are able to leave vapes, e-cigarettes and most small domestic batteries in a sealed clear bag on top of their blue recycling bin.
Crews will collect them as part of their usual round, with the council stressing that packaging must be removed and any loose wires or connectors taped beforehand.
Car batteries and other large units must still be taken to Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).
Deputy Mayor of Doncaster, Councillor Glyn Jones, commented: “Following on from the news earlier in the year that plastic pots, tubs, trays and liquid cartons can now be placed in the blue bin, this is another positive development for waste and recycling collections in our city.
“We know that depositing items such as batteries can often be confusing and, if placed in the bin, dangerous for our crews as they catch fire very easily, so we believe this move will have a dual benefit – help recycling and reduce the danger to refuse crews across the city.”
Rise of battery fires
The expansion follows growing concern across the waste sector about lithium-ion battery fires.
The rise in disposable vapes and small electronic devices has led to a sharp increase in batteries being discarded inside household waste, triggering incidents in collection vehicles and at treatment sites nationwide.
A Doncaster crew experienced one such incident earlier this month, after a lithium-ion battery ignited in the back of a vehicle.
Residents can now present a broad range of items for separate collection, including AA and AAA batteries, button cells, 6V and 9V units, C and D batteries, as well as laptop and mobile phone batteries, alongside vapes and e-cigarettes.
Shane Atkins, Contract General Manager at Suez Recycling and Recovery UK, added: “Putting batteries in household bins can cause fires in collection vehicles and at recycling facilities, putting crews and the public at risk.
“By collecting them separately at the kerbside, we can make sure batteries are recycled properly and safely.”
According to a report by consultancy Eunomia, the nationwide implementation of kerbside collection for waste batteries and electricals could save £6 billion across the next decade.
The savings would principally come from the prevention of waste fires, which is estimated to cost the UK over £1 billion a year, alongside increased recycling.
Crackdown on illegal vapes
The launch of the new service comes as Doncaster steps up enforcement against illicit vape sales.
The council has warned residents about the risks associated with unregulated products, following a multi-agency crackdown last month.
Doncaster Trading Standards officers worked with South Yorkshire Police, DWP, Immigration Enforcement and HMRC to target the city’s illegal tobacco and vape market.
Eight premises were raided in a single day, five arrests were made, and fraudulent goods worth an estimated £160,000 were seized, including around 1,000 counterfeit vapes.
Rachael Leslie, Executive Director of Public Health in Doncaster, explained: “Illicit, unregulated tobacco products and vapes present an increased danger to the public.
“They are unregulated, can contain higher levels of nicotine and other substances, and can lead to long term addiction.
“They also present a fire risk as, unlike regulated products, they may not self-extinguish if unattended.”
The UK Government has also announced tighter national controls in the Autumn Budget (26 November 2025).
A new Vaping Duty Stamps Scheme, due to come into force on 1 October 2026, will require all UK-manufactured or imported vapes to carry duty stamps so that illegal products can be quickly identified.
The Budget also confirmed strengthened high-street enforcement to tackle non-compliant vapes.
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