Many know that cigarettes harm the environment. Cigarettes are often littered, and their toxic chemicals seep into the soil and water. You might think e-cigarettes, or vapes, are better for the environment than traditional cigarettes.
People who vape may use one disposable vape per day, while smokers might use one or two packs of cigarettes daily. At first glance, it seems the environmental impact of vaping is less than many cigarettes.
However, experts believe vapes could be more damaging. The extraction of natural resources, pollution from manufacturing, and improper disposal of vapes can have severe environmental impacts.
In this article, you will learn the environmental impact of vaping. So, keep reading!
The Environmental Impact of Vaping
Vape creation creates the following environmental impact:
Mining
Most vapes contain lithium, a metal used in batteries. Lithium mining harms the environment by degrading soil, causing water shortages, and damaging ecosystems. Lithium is often mined on tribal land in the United States.
For instance, a lithium mining project started in Nevada in 2021 on a sacred indigenous burial site. In other countries, lax environmental regulations lead to more destruction and unethical labor practices.
We often don’t know where vape batteries come from or how they are made. Most vape companies don’t disclose this information, making it hard to assess the environmental impact.
Deforestation
Like other iqos tobacco products, most vapes get nicotine from tobacco plants. Growing Tobacco requires deforestation, leading to habitat loss and wildlife extinction.
The World Health Organization estimated that the tobacco industry yearly cuts down approximately 600 million trees. Deforestation also increases greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming and poor air quality.
Burning trees releases stored carbon as carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. About 10% of greenhouse gas emissions result from deforestation.
Vape products with nicotine contribute to ongoing deforestation. Some vape companies claim to use synthetic nicotine, but all nicotine types are a hazardous waste when disposed of improperly.
Manufacturing Processes
The manufacturing process of tobacco products, including vapes, increases greenhouse gas emissions. Factories pollute the air, use and contaminate large amounts of water, and use toxic chemicals.
While the pollution from tobacco manufacturing is known, little is known about the environmental impact of vape manufacturing. Without understanding the problems, we can’t address or resolve them. The production of vapes uses significant natural resources and toxic chemicals, posing substantial environmental threats.
The Environmental Impact of Vape Disposal
Disposing of vape has the following impact on the environment:
Hazardous Waste
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies liquid nicotine as “acute hazardous waste.” Liquid nicotine products cannot be thrown in regular trash or recycled without causing environmental harm. Vapes are hazardous waste due to their nicotine and battery content.
Nicotine can poison wildlife and pollute soil and water. Improper battery disposal can cause fires in garbage trucks and landfills and leak harmful chemicals into the ground. Not recycling batteries wastes lithium and other materials that could be reused, necessitating more mining.
Non-Compostable Materials
Besides hazardous waste, vapes contain metals and plastics that harm the environment. Metals take years to decompose, and plastics never fully decompose, instead breaking down into microplastics that pollute food and water.
Greenwashing
The tobacco industry uses “greenwashing” to appear eco-friendly and encourage product use. Companies like Phillip Morris claim to have climate roadmaps and promote smoke-free MYLE products.
Despite their claims, Big Tobacco continues harmful practices, contributing to environmental damage.
Big Tobacco has a history of deceit, including denying the harmful effects of Tobacco and targeting youth and minorities. Their claims of environmental responsibility must not mislead us.
Concluding Thoughts
Vapes harm both users’ health and the environment. The environmental impact of vaping is serious. Raising awareness can deter environmentally-conscious people from vaping and encourage collective action against Big Tobacco.
Users are not to blame for the environmental damage; Big Tobacco is responsible. Their harmful manufacturing methods and use of toxic materials show they prioritize profit over health and the environment. To combat climate change and pollution, we must hold Big Tobacco accountable.