The Environmental Liability of Disposable Vapes: A Growing Concern

Disposable e-cigarettes are a growing problem in Canada, not only because they fuel nicotine addiction among youth and give Big Tobacco companies new ways to market their products, but also because they're a major environmental liability.

Canada is trying to meet an ambitious goal of zero plastic waste by 2030 by introducing a ban on the use of single-use plastics like grocery bags and straws. But plastic disposable e-cigarettes are complicating these efforts, largely because the vaping industry, which produces millions of these devices a year, has no way to recycle them effectively.

Environmental Impact of Disposable Vapes

Disposable vapes not only contain plastic but also rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and toxic metals that can leach into the environment and are non-recyclable, adding to the more than 50 million tonnes of electronic waste estimated to be generated globally each year, according to the UN.

"People treat it as disposable, so it's littered or thrown away into the garbage or into recycling, where it can also cause fires because of the lithium batteries," said Karen Wirsig, the plastics program manager with Environmental Defence. "And the companies that introduce them don't really have to think about the end of life."

Heavy Metals in Disposable Vapes

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said in a statement to CBC News that disposable vapes also hold a circuit board that contains heavy metals like cobalt, lead and mercury.

"If these devices end up in the environment as pollution, they may be harmful to wildlife and their habitats," an ECCC spokesperson said in an email.

The U.K.'s Disposable Vape Problem

Research conducted last year by Material Focus, a British environmental nonprofit, found that an estimated 1.2 million single-use vapes are thrown away every week in the U.K. — with enough lithium to power 1,200 electric vehicles.

"Environmentally speaking, there is no justification for a single-use disposable vape. It doesn't make any sense," said Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus. "Nothing is disposable, but just to include that [branding] is very psychologically impactful on people, because it's just giving this notion of throwaway from the start."

Recycling Challenges and TerraCycle

The vaping industry works with a company called TerraCycle to recycle used e-cigarettes, empty vapes and nicotine cartridges in Canada, but requires consumers to return the devices to specialized vape stores or mail them to the company.

In a statement to CBC News, TerraCycle said it has recycled 90,000 to 130,000 devices since partnering with a tobacco company on the program in late 2021. A TerraCycle spokesperson said it is "important to both educate vape users that recycling solutions exist and that improper disposal can have a significant detrimental environmental impact."

The Truth Initiative Survey

A 2020 survey from U.S.-based tobacco control organization the Truth Initiative found more than half of young e-cigarette users reported disposing of used e-cigarette pods or empty disposable vapes in the trash, and many didn't know how to recycle them.

In the same survey, only 15 per cent of young e-cigarette users reported disposing of empty pods or disposable vapes by dropping them off at vape shops for recycling or sending them in for electronic recycling.

Design Challenges and Pollution Limitations

The ECCC statement noted "it is difficult to limit pollution from disposable vaping products partly due to the design of these products. Users cannot take the lithium-ion battery out of the device due to the risk of puncturing the battery."

"As a result, they are not accepted by e-waste or battery recycling programs. Recovering the plastic from single-use pods is also challenging because of their contamination by vaping liquid."

Accountability and Consumer Responsibility

Wirsig said the onus is now on consumers and municipalities to deal with the e-waste that comes from disposable vapes, partly because the companies that create them currently aren't held accountable for where they end up.

International Bans on Disposable Vapes

ECCC said that some jurisdictions outside Canada (like Australia, Scotland, and England) have banned or are considering banning disposable vaping products "at least in part due to their impacts on the environment." ECCC is considering a similar approach.

The Future of Disposable E-waste

Butler said the problem will likely get worse because of a lack of regulations and the surge in popularity of the devices, and that they could signal a growing problem as more e-waste is generated from "fast tech" disposable products in the future.

"We're sort of seeing this almost as a canary in the coal mine," he said. "This is a disgrace, but probably isn't the end of the story."

Conclusion

Disposable vapes are becoming an environmental liability due to their non-recyclable components, heavy metals, and lithium-ion batteries. While some countries have started to ban these products, more needs to be done globally to address the issue. Consumers, municipalities, and manufacturers must all work together to tackle this growing e-waste problem and find effective solutions to reduce the environmental impact of disposable vapes.

FAQs

  • Why are disposable vapes an environmental liability?
    Disposable vapes contain non-recyclable components, heavy metals, and lithium-ion batteries, which contribute to environmental pollution and e-waste when not disposed of properly.

  • What are some of the harmful components found in disposable vapes?
    Disposable vapes contain heavy metals like cobalt, lead, and mercury, as well as rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that can cause fires and leach toxic substances into the environment.

  • Are there any recycling programs available for disposable vapes?
    The vaping industry works with TerraCycle to recycle used e-cigarettes, empty vapes, and nicotine cartridges in Canada, but the process requires consumers to return the devices to specialized vape stores or mail them to the company.

  • How are other countries addressing the environmental impact of disposable vapes?
    Some countries, such as Australia, Scotland, and England, have banned or are considering banning disposable vaping products due to their environmental impact.

  • What can consumers do to reduce the environmental impact of disposable vapes?
    Consumers can choose reusable vaping devices instead of disposable ones, properly recycle their e-cigarettes and cartridges, and advocate for regulations that hold manufacturers accountable for the end-of-life disposal of their products.

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