Single-Use Vapes Are a New Major Source of Plastic Pollution

Discarded e-cigarettes represent a complex, fast-growing plastic pollution problem. They combine single-use plastics, hazardous chemical waste, and electronic waste into one problematic device. Data show a severe lack of public awareness about safe disposal: a Truth Initiative survey found that 51% of users aged 15–24 throw devices straight into standard trash cans, 17% put them in household recycling, and only 15% use electronic recycling facilities.