Resident shares photo of dangerous sighting along local roadways: 'Sounds like a fire waiting to happen'

A Redditor took to the platform to share a picture of some dangerous litter they found on the side of the road.

Posting in the r/DeTrashed subreddit, the original poster shared a picture of a discarded vape they found by the side of the road. 

They found the vape while they were picking up litter. The OP explained that, after searching online, they learned they needed to take the vape to a hazardous waste facility. 

"Apparently the lithium battery inside can explode if not disposed of properly," they said in the caption. "I had no idea! I don't mind taking it to one but does anyone know how much I'll be charged?"

Apart from the myriad health concerns that come from vaping, vapes themselves can harm the environment in many ways. 

When they're spent, vapes often become litter. Instead of disposing of them properly, people sometimes leave them along trails or in parks. Vapes left on the sides of roads can cause flat tires, leading to much frustration and stress for drivers. 

But the problems don't stop there. 

Vapes contain heavy metals like antimony, nickel, and lead. When they're disposed of improperly, those chemicals can leach into the soil and water. 

Disposable vapes tend to have lithium-ion batteries that power them. Even in traditional trash cans or landfills, those batteries are a massive fire or explosion risk if disposed of improperly. Vapes' plastic casings can break down into microplastics as well, which can further pollute the soil and water. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, you should take spent vapes to a hazardous waste disposal facility. You can also bring them to recycling center that accepts e-waste. 

Do you throw your old batteries in the trash? Yes — always 😬 Sometimes 🤷 My city picks them up ♻️ I recycle them myself 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Commenters were quick to jump on the pile to complain about vapes. 

"I keep all my old ones in a [t]rash bag I've got hundreds and can't find where to dump them," one said.

Another replied to them, "Sounds like a fire waiting to happen." 

"I can't tell you how many of those I've found," said another. "Ok maybe like 100." 

"Those lithium batteries are appalling," another commenter wrote. "They're even in Halloween toys. In my state, the towns have a bin for hazardous batteries at the dump. Lithium and also lead-acid car/marine batteries. They also take the electronics to keep those out of the landfill."

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