If you vape, you probably do it because it’s a. cheaper than actually smoking cigarettes, b. tastes like a milkshake or something and is also c. pretty convenient. And fair enough, that’s your choice.
But with the rise in vaping, comes the rise of the disposable vape. And as the pinnacle of human civilization over the past 300,000 years, we’ve become very used to convenience and buying stuff.
Disposable vapes have become hugely popular, but there are some shocking stats behind their usage. And there are a number of problems with disposable vapes which users are either blind to or ignorant of.
When you buy a disposable vape, you’re effectively buying a disposable battery.
So when you bin that vape after use, you’re adding to the 600 million batteries which are thrown away by British consumers every year.
But the issue is that at the moment these disposable vapes are not recycled. This means tons of lithium (a toxic substance) is ending up in landfill. In addition to this, lithium is explosive, so it can also be a fire hazard when in transit to the dump….
So if you’re a user of disposable vapes, what can you do to reduce your impact?
1. Put in battery recycling
Although the big issue is that vapes aren’t currently recycled, you can take them to your local corner store and see if they have a battery recycling bin. This is still a better option than sending them to landfill.
2. Try to use reusable vapes
OK, so maybe you forgot your vape which is why you bought a disposable in the first place. But try to use reusable as often as possible. The battery obviously last longer and is removable – so this is the best option for the environment if you are a vaper.
And that’s it!
Aside from not using disposable vapes – which is obviously the best option for the environment – you should try and be mindful that they do contain a non-environmentally friendly element. So even though they might be convenient, the long term damage to the planet might be more of a long term inconvenience.
