Homeowner baffled after discovering mysterious object outside rural home: 'There is one blue and one red wire coming out'

A puzzling piece of waste found on the ground of a secluded area of Northern California has sparked curiosity in the subreddit r/whatisthisthing.

Alongside a photo of the time, the OP included a detailed description. 

"There is one blue and one red wire coming out of one end," wrote the perplexed homeowner. "The plastic cartridge is filled with layers of some sort of paper or fabric wrapped in a thin or metallic layer."

The subreddit quickly filled with theories about the object until one commenter solved the mystery.

"I think it's def the guts of a vape," said a commenter. Many echoed this theory, and it was determined that the find was a piece of a vape.

The prevalence of vaping is a worrying trend in many ways. From being surreptitiously sold to young people to being found as waste dotting along the coastlines and other picturesque scenes, vapes are overtaking the health of communities. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explain that e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harm brain development in younger users. Studies have also linked them to lung damage, an increased risk of respiratory illnesses, and possible exposure to toxic chemicals like formaldehyde and heavy metals. 

Such toxins are not just bad for the body, but once they seep into the environment, they can further exacerbate health risks. Vapes combine lithium-ion batteries, plastics, and metal components that are rarely recycled, contributing to the growing problem of electronic waste. 

When discarded improperly, vapes can leach harmful chemicals into soil and water, threatening wildlife and polluting ecosystems. Especially worrying is when disposable vape waste is found in rural areas, as the OP highlighted, living in a rural area of California. This means the pervasiveness of vapes has grown so wide that they are reaching somewhat secluded areas of the globe.

The manufacturing of disposable vapes is also energy-intensive as they require the extraction of metals and plastics that produce air pollution, further accelerating environmental degradation. With millions of vapes sold each year, a real risk is posed due to the environmental damage caused by vapes. 

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Redditors were sure that the waste was from a vape.

"I've seen these scattered around the area," wrote one, confirming that vape waste can be found in many areas. "I've assumed they were from vapes."

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