I believe Disposables do have a place in the market for those who want to test out vaping or those who need a vape in a hurry.
For me they should just be transitional. Once you realise vaping is for you – it is in your own interest to switch to a device with swappable pods or refillable. It is cheaper, more environmentally friendly and you have so much more freedom with your choice of e-liquid too.
Anyway the issue of disposables is contentious, everyone who is aware of them has strong opinions in one way or another.
Thoughts
A lot of people did predict that this would be the case when disposables first became popular.
Like I said above I think disposables have a place in the market – but they seem to attract controversy at every turn.
They are being blamed for encouraging young people to vape and now the waste issue.
I do agree more needs to be done regarding the waste these devices create – I have seen multiple cases of them lying around the ground when I am out walking the dog.
Who Is Responsible?
Should the companies who create the devices take responsibility, the retailers who sell them or is it down to the individual?
I often look around to see if there are any resources locally for disposal as I too own quite a few disposables (for review purposes).
My local council offers battery recycling which is collected with the general recycling – but specifies the batteries should be removed.
I doubt people will be wanting to rip them apart and wait 2 weeks for them to be collected. Also this practice could be dangerous if the battery decides to have a wobbly.
Some manufacturers are happy to take back used disposables, but few of these are actually on the smaller high street where people can just drop them in. It often involves postage which can be expensive and to be honest for some just a pain in the arse.
But for someone walking down an average street – nowhere near a big city centre – what do you do? I live in a small town and have nowhere locally I can deposit used disposables unless I drive to the local tip or wait for the recycling collection.
Perhaps an incentive towards a free device for returned used devices would work?
Should the small retailers who often sell these devices have a recycling bank?
I don’t know right now what the answer is.
In the meantime there seems to be rucks of new disposables coming to the market, by “no name” companies from god knows where, so they are unlikely to care.
The larger brand names are happy to take part in recycling but again they are not on the street for people to just pop in and drop off their devices?