Vaping as an activity has had a whirlwind presence throughout the news over recent years. Being a relatively new activity in itself, it’s had a host of different perceptions attached to it in a relatively short time. These include a healthier alternative to smoking, something with hidden health risks that nobody knew about, a potential risk to teenagers and younger people who shouldn’t be using them, a stylish fashion statement and even an unexpected environmental disaster.
That latter issue comes mainly in the form of disposable vapes – versions of vapes that are very popular due to the lower cost and lack of commitment, but that ecological impact has led to a reassessment of them as a whole.
The Multitude of Them
Before you even start thinking about what’s inside disposable vapes that makes them bad for the planet, you have to consider just how popular they are. Disposable vapes are made of hard plastics, materials that are difficult to recycle and very damaging to the environment, and as people buy vapes, use them, and dispose of them, the lack of any way to reuse them becomes a more visible negative.
For that reason, many people who do use disposable vapes might look to refillable or pre-filled vapes with rechargeable batteries as an alternative. This prevents them from needing to drop vaping outright and might even lead them to an improved experience, thanks to the quality of the vape or even because of the cartridges that they can add themselves. There are also a range of outlets where these are available, including Smoko, which can make the transition an easy one.
Lithium Batteries
That question of what is inside them that is so damaging, however, is a pertinent one. Within the plastic shells often come lithium-powered batteries – something that can function as an environmental hazard. Lithium isn’t exclusively found in disposable vapes either, meaning that the problem here is one that these forms of vape are contributing to rather than causing, making their presence problematic and confounding. Phones, laptops and even electric cars are cited as also using similar batteries – the latter example showcasing just how difficult it is to create an environmentally-conscious alternative to something damaging without being potentially damaging in of itself.
Taking Action
With all of this potential for harm, there has been inevitable controversy around these vapes – including many calls to ban them outright. This isn’t just due to the environmental factor alone, this is also due to other factors that were mentioned previously, such as how they might be more likely to be popular with younger people unaware of the health implications that they could carry.
The UK government has recently announced a ban on disposable vapes, which would aim to address several of these negative consequences – though the impact that it might have on people’s lifestyle could once again have them asking what to use instead. The ban on disposable vapes was introduced alongside a ban on smoking for anyone born after January 1st 2009 in an aim to create a ‘smoke-free’ generation.
With all of that in mind, it would seem that the public attitude towards disposable vapes is shifting – but that means that more effort can be put towards the aforementioned vaping options that are better for the planet and potentially even better for you. With what comes in any given disposable vape predetermined when you buy it, having a level of control with refillable vapes might suit your lifestyle better.