One annoyed Redditor posted about a dangerous item discarded on their lawn — a vape.
Electronic cigarettes are supposed to be disposable, but their combination of materials doesn't make them break down well. Their blend of non-biodegradable materials like lithium batteries is an even worse nuisance when randomly tossed as litter.
"Good thing I saw it before I started mowing, as I heard these batteries are fire hazards," said the OP.
Those lithium batteries can be combustible — a reason one should recycle them separately but can't store them in a checked bag for a flight. These batteries can catch fire when damaged, which could have happened if the OP ran a lawnmower over it or if it went through a trash compactor.
The EPA explicitly states to not throw e-cigarettes in the trash or general recycling but to take them to a hazardous waste collection site instead.
According to the EPA's page on e-cigarettes, "E-cigarettes contain nicotine and lithium batteries, making them hazardous waste."
Nicotine is not only a well-known health risk for direct and secondhand human smokers, but it's also toxic to marine life if it gets into waterways, which litter can do.
Vape litter can harm wildlife that may accidentally ingest it by mistaking it for food. Loads of plastics (one material these disposable vapes consist of) have been found in the bellies of sea life, some of which eat up to 10 million pieces of plastic daily, per Stanford.
Even with the nicotine use, vapers can be more environmentally conscious and considerate of others by using refillable ones instead. Those refillable options can also save them money and are more customizable than a cheap disposable one.
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Heck yes! 💯 One commenter wrote, "Throwing out lithium batteries really p***** me off, they are easily rechargeable if they just put a charging port on them."
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Someone else stated, "I preferred cigarette waste to this. It breaks my heart thinking about the sheer amount of wasted lithium batteries everywhere."
Another person informed everyone, "ALDI recycles all batteries for free."
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