Environmental awareness is on the rise: in 2021, one in four Russians thought about protecting the environment. More people are trying to make their lifestyles greener. They sort waste, use resources thoughtfully and bring sustainability into every part of their lives. Many of them use e-cigarettes. But can caring for nature and vaping go together? We investigated.
Does vaping harm the environment less than cigarettes?
Tobacco waste is one of the biggest concerns for environmental organisations. Every year, discarded cigarette butts pollute the land and oceans. Several factors contribute: synthetic plastics, tobacco tar and smoke.
- The plastic used in cigarette filters releases harmful chemicals when it enters soil and water. It also breaks down very slowly — taking around 20 years.
- Tobacco tar contains more than 3,500 chemicals, including aluminium, bromine, chromium, iron and copper. Many of these elements are toxic to fish.
- Smoke also contains many chemicals, including hydrogen cyanide and radioactive compounds of potassium, lead, nickel and polonium. Over a year, smokers exhale so much smoke that its damage can be compared with the negative impact of industrial plants.
Some people believe that, compared with cigarettes, vaping does not harm the environment at all. Unfortunately, that is not true.
- Many e-cigarettes contain disposable plastic pods. These break down very slowly and are difficult to recycle.
- Improper disposal can release toxic compounds from lithium-ion batteries into the environment.
- Many e-cigarettes contain toxic nicotine, which is harmful to insects and fish.
How much damage does vaping cause? Could it be less serious than it seems?
E-cigarettes have a smaller negative impact than conventional cigarettes — that is a fact. But their effects are still difficult to assess. Vaping is relatively new, so large-scale studies have not yet been conducted.
There are already forecasts and calculations based on statistics. For example, around 50 million people currently use e-cigarettes every day, producing several billion items of vape waste each year. Not all of it is disposed of correctly: a huge proportion ends up in the ocean and soil, polluting water and harming living organisms.
Rules for greener vaping
The environmental impact of e-cigarettes cannot be eliminated, but it can be substantially reduced. Follow a few rules:
- Buy reusable vapes. Using one device instead of several reduces plastic waste and supports more mindful consumption.
- Plan your disposal: for example, take used vapes to a dedicated e-cigarette collection point every two or three months.
- Try to use larger bottles. They use less plastic for the same amount of liquid. The lower the ratio of plastic to liquid in your vaping setup, the less plastic waste it produces.
If you are moving from conventional cigarettes to e-cigarettes, try to make the transition as quickly as possible: tobacco products are almost impossible to dispose of safely and cause more harm.
How Plonq is making vaping less harmful to the environment
E-cigarette brand Plonq launched its Eco Project, which helps collect and recycle used e-cigarettes. The initiative makes disposing of harmful waste easier and more convenient.
In 2021, collection containers for disposable e-cigarettes were installed at 50 Plonq partner retail outlets in Moscow. Smokers can now bring old e-cigarettes from any manufacturer for recycling. The recovered materials will be used to make new products.
In 2022, containers will also be installed in other Russian cities. The initiative will subsequently expand to neighbouring countries.
Do what you can
Like consumers, many e-cigarette manufacturers are trying to become greener and reduce environmental harm. For example, they are removing plastic from packaging and launching recycling programmes. Companies may soon find more sustainable ways to manufacture and recycle e-cigarettes. In the meantime, smokers can do their part to minimise environmental damage.
