Abstract
Waste from single-use disposable vaping devices is emerging as an environmental and public health threat globally and in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Daily vaping in NZ now exceeds smoking—11% of adults reported daily use — and disposable devices dominate sales. Each spent vape contains a sealed lithium-ion battery, toxic metals, nicotine residues, and persistent plastics, creating fire hazards and leaching pollutants into soil and water. Globally, an estimated 844 million devices reach landfills each year. Field audits and research in NZ, albeit limited, confirm rising levels of vape litter, with most devices found broken, unrecyclable, and potentially hazardous.
NZ lacks a dedicated system to manage this complex waste. NZ’s upcoming ban on single-use vapes, effective 17 June 2025, focuses solely on youth protection, leaving the environmental burden unresolved. In contrast, international models, like the EU’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive and the UK’s broader ban, show that producer responsibility and strong recycling systems are pivotal. Without similar measures in NZ, vape waste will erode environmental kaitiakitanga and could undermine the health gains people achieve when using vapes to stop smoking.