skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Hurricane Milton's outer bands reach Florida as millions of residents race to prepare or flee the path; ME 'living shorelines' counter rising sea levels and stronger storms; NC moms speak out on medical neglect in high-risk pregnancies; TN grant program funds early health care career pathways.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

President Biden cancels international travel as Florida braces for Hurricane Milton, Arizona's early voting brings a focus on Native votes, SCOTUS considers ghost guns, and Nevada gets ready to decide on a voter ID measure.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Hurricane Helene has some rural North Carolina towns worried larger communities might get more attention, there's mixed feelings about ranked choice voting on the Oregon ballot next month and New York farmers earn money feeding school kids.

Disposable Vapes Raise Hazardous Waste Concerns

play audio
Play

Monday, July 31, 2023   

Disposable vapes are posing a growing environmental threat in Georgia and across the country, according to a new report.

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund revealed nearly five disposable vape products are discarded every second in the U.S. They are vaping devices which come already filled with liquid and cannot be reloaded.

Lucas Gutterman, campaign director for the group, said they are calling for stopping the sale of the products, due to their lack of recyclability and negative environmental impact.

"They have lithium-ion batteries that can't be put in most e-waste take-back programs," Gutterman explained. "The DEA which does take back most vapes, won't take back won't take back these disposable ones because you can't remove the battery."

The report said the Environmental Protection Agency also considers them hazardous waste due to the nicotine e-liquid they contain, even after disposal.

Recently the Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to nearly 200 retailers for selling unauthorized products, including brands like Elf Bar and Esco Bar, which are single-use vapes.

Gutterman emphasized advocates of tightening the rules are now looking to larger retailers to take responsibility.

"Big national chains like 7 Eleven, BP, Exxon and Chevron, all of them have had locations that are selling these unauthorized disposable vapes," Gutterman outlined. "They should do more to make that sure all of their locations are following the law, not selling these products and holding local stores accountable."

He added the rechargeable batteries in the disposable vapes sold each year consist of more than 23 tons of lithium. He noted if the lithium was not used for vapes, it could be used to create batteries for more than 26,000 electric vehicles.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Hurricane Milton grew to become a major hurricane on the morning of Oct. 7, 2024. (AWS S3 Explorer/Wikimedia Commons)

Social Issues

play sound

As powerhouse Hurricane Milton nears the Florida coastline, communities in the Tampa Bay area are extending relief efforts initially launched for …


Environment

play sound

By Matt Vasilogambros and Kevin Hardy for Stateline.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Jour…

Environment

play sound

By Erik Hoffner for Mongabay.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Maine News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Ser…


According to the Prison Policy Institute, Illinois's incarceration rate of 433 per 100,000 people ranks the state as having nearly the highest lockup rate of any democratic country. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Two specific types of cancer are showing up in high numbers among people in jail and prison and Illinois is no exception. A new study found a lack …

Social Issues

play sound

New data show many Connecticut residents can't afford daily life. This year's ALICE update shows the number of asset-limited, income-constrained …

Lt. Gov. Penny Flanagan, DFL-Minn., could become the first Native American woman to serve as governor if the Harris-Walz ticket wins the White House. (Office of the Governor)

Social Issues

play sound

It is the first day of early voting in Arizona and both presidential hopefuls will be making their cases to voters. Gov. Tim Walz, DFL-Minn.…

Social Issues

play sound

Immigration boosts the economy - in Colorado and across the U.S. But new policies are needed to maximize gains and make it harder for employers to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In Ohio, the effects of domestic violence continue to devastate families. The Ohio Domestic Violence Network released its ninth annual fatality …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021