Tackling the environmental challenges posed by disposable e-cigarettes

We have been working with ASH Scotland and the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) to combat cigarette litter across Scotland. However, recently we have noticed a new culprit in the litter problem – disposable e-cigarettes.

To mark International E-Waste Day on 14 October, guest blogger Laura Young, aka Less Waste Laura, a climate activist and environmental scientist focusing on the circular economy and waste picking, discusses the environmental pressures caused by disposable e-cigarettes and the challenges posed by their growing popularity.

You may have noticed a huge increase in the market for ‘disposable’ e-cigarettes. These often brightly coloured gadgets represent a disturbing step backwards in Scotland’s move towards a circular economy.

The use of disposable e-cigarettes has skyrocketed since 2021, with reports showing a staggering 14-fold increase in e-cigarette use from January 2021 to January 2022, jumping from 1.2% to 16.7%, particularly among young people.

This rapid growth has caused concern among health organisations such as ASH Scotland, as these products are not risk-free and have age restrictions. Nicotine is highly addictive and many e-cigarettes contain harmful chemicals that have not been tested for safety when inhaled, which could affect health over time. From an environmental perspective, the situation becomes even more concerning when we consider the correlation between the rise in disposable e-cigarette sales and the decline in rechargeable e-cigarette use.

While e-cigarette devices have been around for several years, we have recently seen a significant rise in the popularity of disposable models, with over a million units sold each week in the UK, resulting in two devices being discarded every second. These e-cigarettes are pre-filled and can last for around 600 uses before needing to be thrown away. It’s vital to understand what these devices contain, so here’s an informative photo showing a disassembled e-cigarette, which includes the metal (or plastic) casing, lithium battery, heating coil, mixed plastic components and a sponge soaked in nicotine liquid.

So what are some of the unintended consequences of using disposable e-cigarettes?

Firstly, marketing ‘disposable’ products encourages littering in urban and natural environments. These devices have become a new fixture in the trash, especially in crowded urban areas. If you haven’t seen disposable e-cigarettes before, the images below, taken by dedicated waste pickers across Scotland, show the extent of the problem.

The ingredients in these e-cigarettes have a significant impact on the environment, contributing to plastic pollution, posing a threat to wildlife, and leading to contamination with harmful e-cigarette liquids and lithium batteries. If not properly disposed of, these items can end up being discarded near waterways, in sewers, or run over by vehicles.

Furthermore, these products are labelled as ‘disposable’ and when they end up in landfill or incinerators, the valuable materials they contain are lost forever. This is particularly worrying as our planet’s finite resources, such as lithium, are being depleted. Recent estimates suggest that 10 tonnes of e-cigarette lithium is wasted every year in the UK alone, enough to produce batteries for more than 1,200 electric vehicles. The urgency of the problem is heightened given the exponential growth in sales of these products in recent months.

Further complications arise over how to properly dispose of these items. Often, brands do not provide clear guidance on how to dispose of their devices, leading many people to throw them in the general rubbish. This not only creates a major challenge for material recovery, but also due to the risk of “zombie batteries” in the waste disposal process. If the batteries are not properly recycled, they can cause fires in garbage trucks or waste treatment facilities. It is vital that these devices are properly recycled.

The best solution is for e-cigarette users to use reusable devices that can be charged and refilled. It is also important to spread accurate information about how to properly dispose of these items. Because these devices contain batteries, they are classified as e-waste and must be recycled for WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment). WEEE recycling is not usually available at the kerbside, so these items must be taken to designated locations such as recycling centers or through services provided by large technology retailers. Frustratingly, many disposable e-cigarettes are sold as a complete unit with no modular components, so the battery cannot be simply removed for recycling at ordinary supermarket outlets.

It is vital that individuals do not treat these items as general waste and do not throw them in ordinary waste bins to be landfilled or incinerated. If you find yourself needing to use a vape product, choose a reusable option, and when it’s time to dispose of the vape product, make sure you point it to the app