Businesses to help recycle vape batteries via recycling bins
Tuesday December 23rd our outreach manager got to play early Santa and drop off new vape battery recycling bins at the first Fairbanks businesses to participate in this pilot program. Fairbanks North Star Borough residents have been recycling their home batteries for years via Green Star of Interior Alaska but this is the first program targeting recycling of vape batteries.
Vape batteries like many household batteries are usually made out of lithium making them prone to explosions or catching on fire. Lithium fires are made worse with water and can burn without oxygen, making them a nightmare for Alaskan landfills.
That is why Green Star has expanded our Borrow a Bin Program where businesses, organizations and events can receive recycling bins for free to include a vape battery recycling bin. While FNSB residents can still recycle their vape batteries at the FNSB Central Recycling Facility (CRF) when they drop off their regular recycling, they can also recycle them at many of the stores they bought them from when buying their new vapes.
Participating Businesses as of December 27th
Types of Vape Batteries Accepted
We accept any vape battery where the controlled substance cartridge can be removed from the battery.
For more detailed info on what we accept please visit our Vape Battery Recycling Initiative page.
Unfortunately right now we are NOT able to accept Disposable Marijuana Vape Pens or any Marijuana Vape Pens where the cartridge is unable to be separated from the battery due to marijuana being a controlled substance. We cannot accept anything that has controlled substance residue. Please DO NOT try to cut through a vape to try to separate a cartridge from a battery, this is very dangerous and lithium batteries should not be altered.
Are you a business who sells vapes and would like to participate in our free bin loan program? Please fill out this form and make sure you specify wanting to participate in the Vape Battery Recycling Initiative or email our outreach manager at . There are two different options available for bins, a 6 gallon slim jim and a much smaller bin that can fit on a store countertop. Businesses are in charge of taking full bins to the CRF to be recycled.
Thank you and happy recycling!