Disposable e-cigarettes are harmful for the local environment as incorrect disposal of these items can potentially release plastic, electronical and hazardous chemical waste into the environment. In particular, incorrect battery disposal can cause fire, health and safety risks at landfill sites due to these products being able to leak dangerous chemicals into the soil and water, killing off plants and wildlife. Most vapes cannot be recycled, making them a product of single use plastic, wasting materials and manufacturing process time. Furthermore, they also contain batteries that cannot be removed, therefore cannot be further recycled.
I was inspired by Mandy Barker for this project as she turns trash into artwork. I decided to use vapes as multiple people use them on a daily basis and they usually only last between two to three days, wasting peoples money as well as negatively impacting the environment. During my research, I discovered that the lithium batteries used take more than a hundred years to decompose as well as the hard plastic, leaving the earth in worse health.