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Why are ‘disposable’ vapes so bad for the environment?

Fife Council has backed a call to ban disposable vapes in Scotland.
Angus has followed other Scots councils in calling for a ban on disposable vapes. Image: Shutterstock.

‘Disposable’ vapes are the latest trend that young people have adopted in Dundee, but they are harming the environment.

Advertised as ‘easy’ and ‘convenient to use’ with a load of flashy, colourful branding, it’s not difficult to see how young consumers are lured into buying disposable vapes.

But the cost of convenience is all too clear when it comes to these devices.

What are they?

A disposable vape is a device used for inhaling nicotine-containing vapour.

The single use variety of vapes are seen as a cost effective alternative to regular vapes.

But this leads to many users throwing them away when they are done with them.

What is the problem with throwing out my disposable vape?

More than one million single-use vapes are thrown away every week.

These litter our streets and add to plastic pollution. They are left strewn across pavements and roads, and can also pose a danger to drivers by causing burst tyres.

Disposable vapes contain valuable materials like lithium batteries and copper, as well as plastic.

This means they are classed as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and should be disposed of at household recycling centres.

Lithium is a valuable resource us humans should be protecting, not throwing out on the street.

Wasted lithium could power 1,200 electric cars

Ten tonnes of lithium is lost every year when people throw away their disposable vapes.

This wasted lithium is enough to power 1,200 electric cars.

This image shows six disposable vapes collected by climate activists.
Disposable vapes collected by climate activists. Image: Laura Young

Find out how to recycle disposable vapes in your area with this locator.

However, even if they are recycled properly, throwaway vapes can cause problems at recycling centres. They are a fire hazard.

And some staff at recycling centres are unsure about where they should go.

In terms of human health, the devices aren’t guiltless either.

The World Health Organisation says that disposable vapes are “undoubtedly harmful“, with one report saying it is a public health concern that so many young people are taking up the use of vapes and e-cigarettes.

Laura Young is a PhD student and climate activist living in Dundee. She has been fighting against ‘disposable’ vapes for the last six months.

She recently walked around Dundee and found around one single-use vape per minute.

Health secretary Humza Yousaf recently commended Laura’s work and said the Scottish Government will consider a potential ban on disposable vapes.

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