Resident sparks concern after sharing photo of concerning trend spreading across area: 'Incredibly wasteful, yet required by law'

There's a serious problem with this popular product's design, and it's causing massive amounts of litter.

An Illinois resident was disappointed after coming across an increasingly common form of litter on their walk: cannabis packaging.

"Come on Illinois, you can do better," they wrote. 

Despite smoking rates decreasing, cigarettes remain the most littered object. Now, e-cigarettes, THC cartridges, and other disposable vapes are joining in as some of the most frequently littered items.

Littering is always bad, but the real problem lies with the object itself. Most vapes produced are single-use — they cannot be reused, recharged, or refilled. Their ingredients — lithium-ion batteries, nicotine or cannabis oil, metals, and more — are considered hazardous and should not be thrown away.

Improperly disposed of vapes can puncture tires, catch fire, and even explode. Once they reach landfills, vape chemicals contaminate soil and waterways and release toxic gases.

Unfortunately, disposing of vapes at a hazardous waste collection facility is an inconvenience for many, who then litter instead. In the U.K. alone, five million vapes are littered each week, per USA News & World Report. 

Some countries, like the U.K., Malaysia, and Kazakhstan, have placed bans or restrictions on the sale of disposable vapes to try to curb the litter problem. It seems to be working — in the U.K., disposable vaping rates have fallen, especially for youth aged 18-24.

Commenters were equally frustrated with the frequency of the litter.

"The individual packaging is so incredibly wasteful, yet required by law," one user said.

Should companies be required to help recycle their own products? Definitely 👍 No way 👎 It depends on the product 🤔 They should get tax breaks instead 💰 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"It [is] gross how much people litter," another wrote. "Every time I leave a dispo I see at least 5 wrappers."

A third user brought up another common litter offender: alcohol. "I see empty packs on the ground all over around here when walking my dog…way more empty single shots though," they commented. "I honestly think those should be banned…can't walk more [than] 100 ft without seeing fireball."

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