A nonprofit organization in Texas has urged people to be more careful after pulling an array of concerning items from the bottom of the San Marcos River.
The San Marcos River Foundation (@smriverfoundation) posted two eye-opening images on Instagram of the litter it had found on the riverbed.
"These are the kinds of things being pulled out of the San Marcos River on a regular basis," the foundation wrote alongside photos of an enormous amount of different-sized vapes and electronic items such as cellphones, portable speakers, and walkie-talkies.
The foundation went on to ask people to be more careful and make sure they secure everything they bring along to prevent accidental losses.
"Batteries don't exactly biodegrade, and we need to be doing more to protect water quality and aquatic species," it wrote.
Many commenters thanked the foundation for the work it did.
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"The vapes are absolutely heartbreaking. Thank you for this!" one commenter wrote.
While the cellphones and speakers were probably lost accidentally, the sheer volume of disposable vapes suggests that some of them have been intentionally discarded. Disposable vapes are an immense waste problem. They're not only unsightly, but they can also cause issues such as flat tires on a bike or car that drives over one.
Vapes are often also made of plastic, so improper disposal can lead to chemicals leaching into the environment as the plastic breaks down, causing environmental pollution.
Vaping also poses serious health risks to people because it exposes the body to toxic chemicals and heavy metals. According to the CDC, this can permanently damage the lungs and put dangerous stress on the heart.
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The images were also reposted on Reddit, where they received a lot of attention from outraged commenters.
"This disrespect and disregard for other life in the SM river, especially the endangered species, just clearly indicates a severe case of entitlement and carelessness," one commenter wrote.
"Leave the campsite better than you found it," another added. "If only more learned that valuable lesson and the principles behind it much earlier in life."
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