A climate activist has been raising the alarm on the environmental impact disposable vapes are having on our streets, green spaces and beaches.
Described as a 'vape crusader', Laura Young, 26, has ventured up and down Scotland to highlight the problem as it continues to grow. Taking to social media, she shares parks and roads littered with used e-cigarettes. In once instance, Laura found a staggering 55 products in the space of an hour during her walk through Dundee - that would nearly be one a minute.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Laura explained: "About six months ago was the first time I found one on the ground as litter. It was on a dog walk, I picked it up and it was one of these square plastic ones. I didn't really know at first what it was, then realised it was a vape and just thought, 'Oh, well' and threw it in the bin and didn't really think too much of it.
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"And then every single day since - every single day since - I've been seeing them, finding them in the streets, in parks, in city centres, residential areas, finding them everywhere.”
She added: "After a couple of weeks of this, I started to think this is actually a growing issue. Not just because it's litter - but actually, the more you look into what these products are, the more you realise that these are just such harmful products.
"These are things that are being sold as single-use and disposable yet they contain many different materials. After seeing research from Material Focus showing that in the UK we dispose of 1.3million a week, that makes your ears prick up, certainly, to realise this is happening at scale.
"And also realising they contain batteries which have precious materials that are just going to waste. The majority of them go to landfills."
Laura is currently on her way to gaining a PhD in climate science between Abertay and Dundee University and has hit back at vape companies for failing to provide “good information” on how to recycle single-use items.
She said: “Batteries when sent to landfill in general waste can cause fires and that's something the waste industry is getting really concerned about. These also are sold with little to no trading standards, in the way that cigarettes are sold behind counters with very graphic images and packaging - there are loads of regulations around these.
"Whereas disposable vapes are sold in multipacks right at the front of the shop - and there’s a growing research body showing these are highly targeted at young people.”
The 26-year-old has spearheaded calls for a UK-wide ban on the products at Westminster.
She said: "A lot of what I've been doing is trying to raise awareness of the issue of these. Calling for a ban just seemed like a no-brainer when you've got a reusable option that is available. I think that it is the important bit - no one's trying to ban vaping, it's about banning disposable items."
“They are the complete opposite of a circular economy - almost laughably - and are so much more dangerous than a plastic spoon.”
Her Herculean efforts in raising awareness on this issue have seen her dubbed the “vape crusader”, but she admits it has been challenging.
But she argued: “The reason I'm passionate is that I just see it as such a ridiculous thing we've let come into our country and be sold here. And I think when it comes to this issue, we just need to nip it in the bud.”
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