Guy makes "dodgy e-bike" from 130 used vapes to make point about e-waste
61 points by rntn 4 days ago | 13 comments
  • Suppafly 4 days ago |
    This situation with disposable vapes containing batteries is getting to the point where the government needs to step in an create some regulations.
    • ThrowawayTestr 4 days ago |
      My government has done everything but ban displayable ecigs. The tax on juice now exceeds the original cost.
    • arp242 3 days ago |
      UK and Ireland will ban them starting next year. Not sure about other European countries off-hand.
    • BizarroLand 3 days ago |
      I would prefer that they made it so that the batteries had to be removable by design, similar to AAA batteries.

      That would expand the market and decrease the waste.

      • stavros 3 days ago |
        Why make only the batteries removable? Why not the fluid and resistor as well? At which point you've banned single-use vapes and only have reusable ones.
        • ElevenLathe 3 days ago |
          This seems pretty reasonable.
        • notjulianjaynes 3 days ago |
          From the article I'm getting that the problem is reusable vapes are subject to different FDA regulations, and "disposable" vapes are basically a loophole, at least in the US.
          • wildzzz 3 days ago |
            Probably because, initially, disposable vapes were only made by the big tobacco companies.
      • stuaxo 3 days ago |
        I think that's what the UK regs will do.
  • krispyfi 3 days ago |
    The Ars comment section is very disappointing, with people conflating the harms of nicotine with tobacco. This is probably because of misinformation about EVALI ("popcorn lung") which was actually the result of a specific impurity in black market THC vapes, and has never been observed in a legitimate vape, nicotine or otherwise.
    • staviette 3 days ago |
      I think there's two separate incidents you might be getting mixed up.

      Popcorn lung was a concern with diacetyl - butter flavoring - which causes popcorn lung in large quantities, like the factories where they make microwave popcorn. Not sure if it was just concern about it or actual confirmed cases, but it was removed from all ecigarettes a long time ago.

      The actual cases of hospitalization with respiratory issues were from cutting THC vapes with vitamin E oil to make them appear thicker and higher quality. It was already well known that inhaling vitamin E oil vapor is incredibly bad for you, but the makers of those illicit vapes either didn't know or didn't care.

  • NoxiousPluK 3 days ago |
    I still have a similar 'battery bomb' sitting in my closet because I had the same plans some years ago. Perhaps I should dispose of it before it goes up in smoke