TikTok user Less Waste Laura shared a video of herself recycling around 11 pounds of disposable vapes she'd found discarded on the streets. She emphasized the dangers of these products, stating that recycling is not the answer, but they need to stop being made. A report by the Alaska Environment Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund found that in 2023, people toss out 5.7 disposable vices per second, which add up to 3,350 electric vehicle batteries' worth of lithium thrown out every year. The most significant danger of this waste is fire caused by lithium-ion batteries, which can cost up to $95 million each year. This type of waste also contributes to plastic pollution and increases microplastics in the environment.