County urges proper disposal of vaping devices to prevent battery fires

Millions of vaping devices and cartridges are sold in the United States each month, and a growing number of vapes are designed to be disposable, single-use devices. In one month, more than 13 million disposable devices are sold in the U.S. With the rise in popularity of disposable vapes comes a rise in electronic and hazardous wastes.

Vaping devices often contain batteries and hazardous substances that should never be thrown in garbage or recycling carts. Batteries disposed of in household garbage or recycling carts can ignite, posing significant fire risks during transportation and at transfer stations. And the liquid nicotine in vapes is highly toxic and can cause serious harm if ingested or absorbed through the skin.