Dear Eartha, My coworker keeps throwing her e-cigarettes into our trash at work. I know they can’t go into regular recycling, but do they really go in the trash?

When we talk about e-cigarettes and vapes, we’re really talking about the same thing. You might see someone pull a small electronic device from their pocket, breathe in from it, and then exhale a cloud of smoke that looks a whole lot like smoking. And that’s because it is!

That little electronic device stands in for a traditional cigarette. But your instinct is correct; those e-cigarettes can neither go into your recycling nor the trash. The good news is that Summit County Public Health offers free and easy disposal for these vapes. Visit realsummit.org to find all 11 locations.

Electronic Cigarettes and Vapes

Vapes come in many forms. Some might call them by their brand names, like Juul, Elf Bar, or GeekVape. If someone looks like they might be smoking, but with a small electronic device, then they’re probably using an e-cigarette. They’re small, they fit easily into a pocket. Many of them look colorful and sleek. Even single-use e-cigarettes like Elf Bar are designed to be colorful and attractive to potential customers. But no matter how you define the differences between vapes, the National Institute of Health says that it’s still smoking – just with a fancy electronic device rather than lighting a traditional cigarette.

Vapes are Hazardous Waste

When we think about proper disposal of vapes, it’s far more important to consider what’s in them. They have their signature dose of nicotine, but they also come loaded with many other chemicals. They may also have pesticides, carcinogenic substances like Formaldehyde (yes, the embalming fluid), immunosuppressants, heavy metals, and many unidentified chemicals.

Vapes are hazardous waste for a couple of big reasons. Liquid nicotine is highly concentrated and easily absorbed by the skin; this potent fluid may cause nicotine poisoning in anyone who is directly exposed to it. Anyone who handles our waste that gets exposed to concentrated nicotine could be in serious danger if they unknowingly come into contact with this harsh substance.

And, of course, don’t forget that vapes are electronic devices powered by small batteries. Batteries can catch fire in landfills and waste hauling trucks without warning and require special handling to extinguish. This makes them a challenging hazard at all stages of the waste handling process, from pickup at your curb to compaction in the landfill. Landfills are well-equipped to handle these hazards, but being careless with how you dispose of your vape may lead to unnecessary risks.

Remember, your recycling bin is also the wrong place to dispose of that nicotine vape, for the same reasons. Traditional recycling – whether at the curb or the recycling centers – is not designed to handle harsh chemicals or products like vapes that contain internal batteries.

How to dispose of your vape in Summit County

Disposing your vape in Summit County is free, easy, and convenient. Just take it to any of the drop off locations, look for the black lockbox labeled as a “Vape Disposal Box,” drop it in the slot, and you’re all done. These locations are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Visit realsummit.org to learn more and find lockboxes at any of these locations:

· Silverthorne Town Hall

· Dillon Town Hall

· Summit Community Care Clinic

· Copper Mountain – EDGE Building

· Breckenridge Recreation Center

· Frisco Transit Center

· Frisco Smok N’ Bra

· Silverthorne Transit Center

· Colorado Mountain College: Dillon Campus

· Colorado Mountain College: Breckenridge Campus