There's a ridiculous amount of tech in a disposable vape

Post by vanviegen » Wed, Jan 14, 2026, 7:57 PM UTC

bluGill wrote: post #490

vanviegen wrote: post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Are we saying that we are okay to cut trees to make straws when we could make them out of petroleum ? Uhh.. yes? Trees can be grown, just like any agriculture product. > Plastic ones are almost 100% recyclable In theory. However that rarely works out in practice, due to the complications of mixing various types of plastic in a single stream of garbage. > Most importantly, unlike plastic straws, they are laced with…

Natural and biodegradable doesn't mean safe of human ingestion.

Post by cmrdporcupine » Wed, Jan 14, 2026, 7:59 PM UTC

jwr wrote: post #281

pkolaczk wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Which is why when folks nowadays say "you cannot use XYZ for embedded", given what most embedded systems look like, and what many of us used to code on 8 and 16 bit home computers, I can only assert they have no idea how powerful modern embedded systems have become. Yet, I still need to wait about 1 second (!) after each key press when buying a parking ticket and the machine wants me to enter my license plate numbe…

That's programmer incompetence. Unfortunately pervasive, especially with devices like parking meters, EV chargers, and similar, where the feedback loop (angry customer) is long (angry customers resulting in revenue decrease) or non-existent.

Post by tjohns » Wed, Jan 14, 2026, 8:14 PM UTC

mamonoleechi wrote: post #223

tjohns wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is you can’t find any company willing to recycle them. Because of the nicotine content, I’ve heard e-waste recyclers consider them hazardous waste and refuse to touch them.

vape products does not all contain nicotine, it's an ingredient you choose to add in your blend, you can choose to either vape a flavour version only, or one containing a certain amount of nicotine

Post by bjackman » Wed, Jan 14, 2026, 8:17 PM UTC

contravariant wrote: post #311

bjackman wrote: post #250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah ban is the answer. Trouble is that, as shown in the article, even if they include the charging and refilling bits they can be cheap enough to throw away after use. Taxing waste is one part of the story but it's actually a really good thing that vaping is cheaper than smoking so this can only go so far before it's counterproductive. I think the answers lie in stuff like banning sale of pre-filled ones. If you mak…

> Trouble is that, [...], even if they include the charging and refilling bits they can be cheap enough to throw away after use. Well that is fixable, it's even one of the solutions posited here. Just make them artificially expensive by adding a deposit, which you'll get back when you return it to the shop (instead of throwing it away).

Post by xmprt » Wed, Jan 14, 2026, 8:28 PM UTC

hennell wrote: post #266

smashed wrote: post #3

Many countries have deposits for single use bottles/cans but an electronic device with a lipo battery is seen as perfectly fine to throw away. These things should have 100 times the deposit amount of a can of soda with mandatory requirements for retailers to take the 'empties' back.

I feel like the take it back approach, just ends with the retailer/manufacturer throwing it away anyway. Looking at this device it feels like it shouldn't be hard to have a reusable base with battery and electronics, and a disposable capsule that attaches on top but is replaceable.