Walk down the street and you will probably discover a finger-sized colorful plastic tube discarded on the ground disposable vapes which are considered easy to use and cheaper alternatives to cigarettes.
However, the activists have called them an environmental nightmare. The market is flooded by unsafe vapes; they are booming in popularity, especially among those aged between 18 and 34. Disposable vapes which last for around 600 puffs contain invaluable material such as lithium battery and copper, they also contain plastic and are classified as waste 'electrical and electronic equipment'.
The number of people using e-cigarettes has doubled between the years 2016 and 2019. According to the federal government, a survey shows more than 30% of 14 to 17-year-olds have tried vaping.
Environment groups have called for urgent clarity and regulation to respond to an increase in hazardous waste from e-cigarettes as vaping becomes more popular.
Some local councils accept vapes in the e-waste collection but many don't do that due to concerns about the potential leaching of battery acid lithium and nicotine. The devices have also been linked to explosions and fires. Many disposable vapes often have an encapsulated battery that cannot be removed which makes it almost impossible to reuse the batteries.
According to the New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority, many vaping stores do provide basic information on how to discard the product but this is of limited use as regulations vary widely across the state.
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