Five million single use vapes discarded each week, research finds The Standard Disposable vapes are difficult to recycle because theyre made from a mixture of materials including plastic, copper, and a lithium battery. Theyre designed as a single unit, which means the Disposable Vape Ban Leads Britons to Throw Away Reusables Instead Bloomberg SWEEEP warns used e cigarettes are 'potentially hazardous' letsrecycle.com