One subject in the industry that has not gotten as much publicity as others is environmental impact. Disposable electronic cigarettes are possibly the most likely to have a negative impact on the environment, so they can make a great comparison to the environmental impact of analog smokes.

E Cigarette Vapor versus Analog Smoke

Certainly, compared to auto emissions, analog cigarette smoke probably has less of an environmental impact. However, the signs of smoking inside a building are pretty obvious. The paint and wallpaper get dingy, and the difference can immediately be seen once you remove a picture from the wall. Everything in the room has a musty tobacco smell. People with sinus allergies and asthma will immediately know the difference between a smoking room and a non-smoking room, and the hazards of second hand smoke are common knowledge.

This issue simply does not happen with electronic vaping devices. It is water vapor that is released, not smoke. Water vapor does not fill a room like smoke does, and further, the release of water vapor stops between inhalations. Additionally, vaporized water, nicotine and flavoring does not remotely carry the number of poisons that cigarette smoke does. In short, second hand vaping is not likely, the vapor is safer anyway, and any potential hazards are negligible at worst.

E-Cigs versus Analogs in Landfills

The question of disposable vapor devices in a landfill is an extremely valid one. First, consider the relative amount of waste that is generated. One disposable device is about the equivalent of two packs of cigarettes. It is about four inches long and slightly larger in diameter to an average cigarette or ink pen. Consider now that each cigarette filter used is about 1 inch long. That amounts to 40 inches of waste material versus 4. Then throw in the comparative packaging waste, along with used matches or the occasional lighter.

There is, admittedly, a significant problem with the idea of simply throwing disposable electronic cigarettes away. They contain a lithium-ion battery, which is not good for the environment. However, the great thing about used e-cigs is that you can recycle them, just like any battery. In the final analysis, if you are concerned about the environmental impact of e-cigs, they have virtually no impact as long as you recycle the battery.