An electronics engineer has collected disposable vapes littered on the streets and used them to build a rechargeable power bank.
In a Reddit post to r/Electronics, he explained how he used disposable vapes to create a fast-charging, 100-watt power bank capable of even charging laptops.
“Most people don’t realize that disposable vapes have fully rechargeable li-ion cells in them, which I find awful, especially given the amount of rare earth materials used for a single use product,” he wrote.
The original poster’s reuse of disposable vape batteries is inspiring because it addresses the immense waste problem that they have created.
Not only are vapes connected to serious health risks for smokers, but they also are contributing to our planet’s waste problem, as they are commonly littered on the ground or tossed into the trash, ultimately destined for landfills.
Many disposable vapes contain rechargeable batteries, yet vape manufacturers market them as single-use products.
There’s a growing demand for lithium, so single-use vapes are a significant waste of natural resources. Once discarded, they pollute the soil with toxic chemicals, creating dangers for curious wildlife. They are also a fire hazard if not properly disposed of or recycled.
With the right electronics experience, repurposing vape batteries to generate your own power can be a practical and sustainable solution to these issues.
The OP, Chris Doel (@Chris_doel), published a YouTube video sharing his process of turning vapes into a power bank. He said he was working on an open-source kit to help other people build their own power banks in a similar way as safely as possible.
Many fellow electronics enthusiasts commented on the OP’s post about their experiences reusing old vape batteries and expressed interest in trying it themselves.
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“I’ve been using them for the same thing, also great for making laser pointers,” one Reddit user shared. “My vaping friends just gave me a huge bag of their dead vapes. I’d like to figure out how to utilize some of the LCD screens in some of these.”
“I used to work at a cannabis/vape store,” a Redditor wrote. “The entire legal (Canadian) drug market is inconceivably wasteful. We probably throw more plastic in the garbage than the fast food industry.”
Someone else commented: “Sick project! Def want to do something like this.”
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