According to Channel3000, a Wisconsin entrepreneur is taking on one of the fastest-growing — and most frustrating — forms of modern waste: disposable vapes. His out-of-the-box solution is sparking conversations about waste, community responsibility, and what's possible when everyday people get creative.
Smoker's World in Janesville, Wisconsin, has a bright addition near the checkout counter: a collection bin for used disposable vapes. The bin is part of Vape Waste Solutions, a new initiative founded by Janesville resident Jared Sheen. He believes the devices contain too many valuable components to be tossed into the trash.
"I want to repurpose it … either to make new tech out of it, for example, like battery banks … or to redistribute it back to companies that would be able to use it," Sheen told Channel3000.
Each vape contains batteries, sensors, wiring, and small computerized parts. These materials don't belong in landfills, yet they end up there and in sidewalks, parks, and parking lots. Disposable vapes can also leak harmful chemicals, cause flat tires, and create unnecessary hazards for sanitation workers.
The scale of the problem is staggering. According to a report from the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, the United States discards 5.7 disposable vapes every second. The lithium inside the vapes tossed each year weighs 23.6 tons, which could build batteries for about 2,600 electric vehicles.
Sheen's project aims to stop that waste stream before it grows any larger.
"Right now, we're in the collection phase," he told Channel3000.
So far, he has gathered between 100 and 200 vapes. It's a small but promising start as he works to educate the community about proper disposal and explore long-term repurposing options.
His initiative joins a broader movement of people finding innovative ways to give everyday items a second life. Repurposing old cat litter containers into planters and flipping cardboard boxes inside out for reuse are examples of other crafty hacks. These small shifts can help reduce waste and make communities cleaner and safer.
If you're curious about cutting down on waste, repurposing containers and packaging and knowing your recycling options offer easy ways to start.
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Those interested in supporting Sheen's effort can contact him at VapeWasteSolutions.com or VapeWasteSolutions@gmail.com, or reach him on X at @StopVapeWaste.
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