Man puzzled after finding strange object near car: 'No idea what it is'

A Reddit user thought they were getting a heartfelt token from the crows they feed — until commenters revealed the true nature of the strange object found near their car: a potentially dangerous piece of e-waste.

In a post to r/whatisthisthing, they shared several images of what looks like a tiny metal pillow with a puncture, warped sides with burnt adhesive, and fine wires coming out of it.

"I feed the crows in my neighborhood and they left me this gift by my car, no idea what it is though," the OP said, asking for suggestions.

"Best to keep it outside." — Photo Credit: Reddit

Other users quickly pieced it together: The mysterious token was actually a scorched lithium polymer battery, likely from a disposable vape.

"This looks like a lipo battery that has exploded. Well not exactly exploded but burnt up at least," one user explained.

Another added, "Former lithium battery probably from the ever growing sea of e-garbage produced from 'disposable' vapes."

These discarded batteries are more than just eyesores. They're hazards, capable of puncturing tires, starting fires, and leaching toxic chemicals into soil and waterways. And as vaping continues to surge, so does the trail of broken batteries and plastic shells left behind.

The community urged caution, with one person commenting, "Best to keep it outside, or at least in something like an oven-safe dish that's fireproof/won't instantly crack if it ignites again."

Vape waste is one of the fastest-growing contributors to the electronics waste problem. Most of these devices aren't built to be opened, reused, or recycled — and few are disposed of safely. That means the burden falls on local communities, where burnt-out batteries pile up in gutters, parking lots, and playgrounds.

Some cities are pushing for take-back programs and manufacturer responsibility laws, but the pace is slow when compared to how fast the litter is showing up.

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