Experts in the United Kingdom issued an “urgent warning” about a “zombie” threat, according to The Independent, but not the George Romero type.
What’s happening?
On Oct. 31, the outlet reported that Biffa, the U.K.’s largest waste management firm, warned of an alarming and dangerous trend.
Despite a recently implemented, countrywide disposable vape ban, the company estimates that 7,000 devices per day (or 300 per hour) arrive at their processing facilities.
Moreover, Biffa noted that the number of disposable vapes being discarded in the trash has increased since the ban went into effect — posing a major danger.
Disposable vapes are designed to be used, discarded, and replaced, which is detrimental to the environment because they are a form of single-use plastic. Unfortunately, that isn’t even the biggest risk they present.
As the outlet explained, disposable vapes are causing immense headaches for waste management companies worldwide, due to their propensity to “explode” and ignite fires.
On July 8, a local council in the U.K. shared footage of one such incident on Facebook.
The fire in the clip was massive, engulfing a large heap of refuse. Biffa said that a single vaping device was the cause, after it was “incorrectly disposed of in a blue recycling bin.”
It’s possible the person who discarded it believed they were doing something environmentally responsible by placing it in a recycling bin, but a major issue with disposable vapes is how difficult it is to dispose of them safely.
Why is this important?
In its headline, The Independent outlined why disposable vapes cause fires: “exploding zombie batteries.”
A primary reason these devices are “disposable” is that, unlike other vaping devices, they’re fitted with lithium-ion batteries and e-liquid, making them “plug and play” for users.
That convenience comes at a cost. Fires caused by vape batteries are not a U.K.-specific phenomenon — the compacting feature common on most garbage trucks often triggers zombie battery explosions, putting sanitation workers at risk.
In the United States, disposable vapes are being used and discarded improperly, too. Authorities in several states have issued warnings following fires in houses, garbage trucks, and, alarmingly, while waste collection vehicles are driving on public roads.
During the month of July alone, 56 vape-related fires occurred in waste processing trucks or facilities in the U.S. and Canada.
Disposable vapes are an environmental catastrophe, but they’re also a health risk to young people. Research has shown that nicotine exposure can impede cognitive development in children and teenagers.
What’s being done about it?
Electrical Safety First product safety expert Giuseppe Capanna urged vapers to dispose of vapes safely.
“Every individual household can help turn the tide on this issue one action at a time. We urge all households to stop, think, and don’t bin the battery,” Capanna said.
Disposable vapes and other items with built-in batteries should be disposed of only at dedicated e-waste facilities.
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