While concerns about vaping often focus on health risks and youth addiction, local partners are raising awareness about another growing issue: vape waste and its environmental impact.
The Nicotine Prevention Alliance of Central Wisconsin and the Marathon County Alcohol & Other Drug Partnership, in collaboration with Good News Project, the Marathon County Health Department, and Marathon County Solid Waste Department, are encouraging residents to safely dispose of nicotine vapes during April, which is recognized as Vape Disposal Month.
Most disposable vapes contain lithium-ion batteries and e-liquid, which can contaminate soil and water or ignite fires if thrown in the trash or recycling.
In 2023, an estimated 5.7 disposable vapes were thrown away every second—nearly 500,000 each day—according to the Vape Waste 2 report (U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund) and CDC Foundation data. Discarded vapes have caused fires in waste facilities, and newer devices with screens, Bluetooth, and games add to the growing electronic waste problem.
“At the landfill, we see at least one small fire a week from vapes and other lithium-ion battery devices,” said John Peralta, Environmental Health & Safety and Regulatory Compliance Specialist at Marathon County Solid Waste. “Damaged or crushed batteries can ignite easily, creating real safety hazards.”
To help address these risks, Marathon County residents can safely dispose of nicotine vapes for free throughout April at the following locations:
Community members interested in addressing the impact of commercial tobacco and nicotine can contact Courtney Tvedten at Courtney.Tvedten@marathoncounty.gov or visit https://centralwinicotinefree.org/ for more resources.
