Concerned mom shares video of upsetting sighting at children's playground: 'That is so ridiculous'

It's not an enjoyable experience to find litter anywhere in your neighborhood. But it can be especially frustrating when that litter finds its way to where children play.

TikToker and concerned mom MVplayer (@mvplayer7) posted a short clip that showed a discarded vape pen left behind on a nearby playground.

@mvplayer7 This is seriously so gross! #wtf #gross #vape #kids #dobetter ♬ oh my god bruh oh hell na man

While it's not clear who was responsible for the vape pen or how long it was left there, it did represent a potential danger for children in the area.

"This amazing playground littered with a gross vape pen," noted the TikToker in the post. "Can people seriously not stop themselves just for a little bit while kids play?"

According to a report from the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, 5.7 disposable vapes were discarded every second in 2023. Outside of the dangers to kids, discarded vapes are presenting a growing environmental concern. Over time, they can release heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium into the soil and groundwater. This can contaminate nearby ecosystems and pose health risks if these elements enter the human food chain or drinking water.

Discarded vapes can also contribute to the growing amount of plastic pollution. As seen in the TikTok, the improper disposal of plastic vape devices, pods, and cartridges can often be found scattered and littered in various locations. Since plastic is not biodegradable, these vape pens can take hundreds of years to eventually break down.

Down in the comments section, one user was disgusted by the disregard for not just the environment, but the kids who use the playground as well.

"That is so ridiculous! I hate that people do stuff like that where kids play! Thank you for properly disposing of it!" they exclaimed.

Another commenter attempted to offer up a possible explanation for the vape that was left behind.

"Its a Vuse, it definitely belonged to a parent and fell out of their pocket. Some mama is having a very bad day," they wrote.

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However, the original poster wasn't overlooking the lack of awareness. "It's wild to me. Even accidentally dropping it and leaving it behind. So wild to have it in a way that it could be left behind," the TikToker replied.

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