Woman shares video after making staggering discoveries on local streets: 'They just need to stop being made'

Disposable vapes and the waste they generate have quickly become an issue for people and the planet in numerous ways. 

TikTok user Less Waste Laura (@LessWasteLaura) demonstrated just how significant this waste is by sharing a video of herself recycling around 11 pounds of disposable vapes she'd found tossed into the streets. She wrote in the caption, "[...] they are such a fire risk!"

@lesswastelaura Goodbye 5kg worth of litter picked vapes! #BanDisposableVapes ♬ original sound - Less Waste Laura

In the video, Laura explained: "Recycling is not the answer to disposable vapes. They just need to stop being made."

Fellow TikTokers had a range of reactions, depending on whether or not they vaped. 

"Do you think we could at least try and recycle the lithium ion batteries? They're practically lethal if not disposed of properly?" asked one person. 

Another TikToker added, "Unfortunately 95% of ppl who buy disposable vapes just litter them."

Vapes have been shown time and time again to be harmful to those who use them and everyone else. 

A report released by Alaska Environment Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund found that in 2023, people tossed out 5.7 disposable vapes every second. They add up to 3,350 electric vehicle batteries' worth of lithium thrown out every year.

One of the most significant dangers vape waste poses is fire caused by lithium-ion batteries, particularly in garbage trucks, waste collection facilities, and garbage bins. According to Waste 360, there were 448 publicly reported recycling and waste facility fires in Canada and the U.S. in 2025.

The problem has become so bad that the Solid Waste Association of North America, the Recycled Materials Association, and the National Recycling & Waste Association jointly published a guide to help deal with it. 

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All those fires aren't just bad for those working in waste management either. The same report that discovered how many disposable vapes people throw out per second estimated that fire damage can cost up to $95 million each year. That, in turn, drives up garbage costs for consumers. 

Additionally, vape waste is not only unsightly but also contributes greatly to plastic pollution, increasing microplastics in the environment. This type of waste can damage vehicle tires when run over, too, creating financial consequences for those who don't vape. 

While properly recycling this kind of waste, particularly batteries, is beneficial, as Laura suggested in the comments, "They need [to be] banned because people aren't disposing correctly and the industry isn't helping."

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