Many people around the world have started vaping and most of them are ex-smokers. Intuitively, one might think that a vaporizer is more environmentally friendly than a cigarette, but is that really the case? We’ll talk to you about the impact vapers have on the environment and how you can achieve more responsible and eco-friendly vaping.
Taking care of the planet and biodiversity is essential to protect the quality of the oxygen we breathe and to curb climate change. If you are committed to a sustainable development approach and are also considering quitting smoking for your health, it is important that you find out about the ecological footprint of electronic cigarettes.
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Which type of vaporizer is the least harmful?
To assess the ecological impact of vaping, it is necessary to differentiate between the different types. Most “reformed smokers” tend to prefer plastic vaporizers that vaporize concentrated “vaping liquid” from a cartridge. But there are also more complex dry herb vaporizers. These are preferred by those who smoke herbs such as eucalyptus, mint and of course cannabis. You can find out how cannabis vapers work at cannaconnection.es.
The least harmful vapers are rechargeable ones, which can be used multiple times. They are usually more expensive, but if you maintain them properly they last a long time and significantly reduce waste generation. If your vape also has higher concentration liquid cartridges, you will avoid replacing them in a short time.
Steam vs smoke, which pollutes the most?
Traditional cigarette smoke contains multiple chemicals that contribute to air pollution. In addition, this combination of substances mixes and can cause asthma, bronchitis, lung and heart disease.
On the contrary, the mechanism of vaping does not involve the combustion of any substance. This means that there is no smoke produced and it contains very low levels of chemicals. Therefore, unlike tobacco smoke, vapor does not affect ambient levels.
It is also necessary to mention that cigarette filters are not completely biodegradable, but rather turn into microplastics. On the other hand, the vape does not contain this type of filters with substances that can be transferred to the ground or to the water.
vaporizer waste
It is important to be aware of all the waste associated with the use of the vaporizer. Among them are disposable or single-use devices, cartridges, packaging, e-liquid containers and lithium batteries. This type of waste is very harmful to the environment because it contains three types of waste in one device: plastic, hazardous and electronic waste.
The vape itself is already plastic waste because the device and its components are made of this material. In addition, it also produces toxic waste due to the heavy metals contained in the vape and the nicotine present in some of its e-liquids. Added to this is the electronic waste of its lithium battery and its heating mechanism.
In addition to choosing a reusable vape, it is important to know how to manage your waste:
- Properly charge the vape to increase its battery life.
- When replacing the battery, recycle it at the green points provided for collection. You will find them in supermarkets and some workplaces.
- Do not dispose of batteries in containers designed for other types of waste.