E-cigarette products are evolving so quickly that guidance and information on disposing e-cigarette waste responsibly struggles to keep up. At the same time, e-cigarette companies fail to inform consumers how to dispose of products safely and in an environmentally conscious manner. Environmentally conscious users run into roadblocks if they try to dispose of their single-use vapes responsibly.
E-cigarette companies do not provide clear instructions to users on how to dispose of e-cigarettes. Vuse advises consumers not to dispose of its power unit with trash and to contact local waste management officials for more information on how to dispose of batteries, while Puff Bar, the most popular disposable e-cigarette brand, offers no guidance on its website at all.
Recycling programs for disposable e-cigarettes in the U.S. do not exist. Safe disposal guidance for vapes and their components is virtually non-existent. Waste management and recycling facilities are not equipped to handle toxic and electronic e-cigarette waste – especially in difficult to separate disposable devices.
Federal guidance on e-cigarette disposal is limited and geared towards rechargeable devices with removable components. FDA advises users not to throw e-cigarette devices, e-liquid waste, or pods into the trash, and says that e-cigarette waste should be taken to hazardous waste facilities, and removed batteries sent to certified battery electronic recyclers. This guidance doesn’t work for disposable devices: removing e-liquid waste and lithium batteries from disposable devices is dangerous, since punctured batteries can easily start a chemical fire and e-liquids could contaminate the environment.