Vaping Trash: Litter Increasingly Gets Noticed Around Boulder
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - We've reported on the impact vaping can have on the health of teenagers in Colorado. Now there's evidence to suggest it's having an impact on the environment as well.
Boulder High School has become a dumping ground for vape cartridges, according to some students.
However, it's not the only place where the littering problem exists. They said it's also happening at high schools and in neighborhoods across the state.
"I mean the Juul pods I see on the Hill everyday. It's just ridiculous," said Doodle Spears, who sells vaping paraphernalia at The Fitter in Boulder.
"It looks like a rectangle, like a USB," said vape user Zack Nash. "You can just walk around and see them in random corners."
Nash also referred to Juul pods, or cartridges, which contain the liquid you plug into the vape pen.
"I would say the average person goes through one a day," said Spears. "It comes in this cardboard box. This part you would throw away. This is the pod that has the e-juice in it."
Spears told CBS4 that even though she educates customers about the product, she would never encourage them to litter.
"I was actually just looking. There's no disposal direction on here," Spears said referring to the JUUL package for more information. "Now that you've brought this to my attention, I'm a little skeptical about continuing to Juul, to be honest with you."
Spears added that if she was asked by a customer how to properly dispose of the pods, she would tell them to throw them in the trash. Keep in mind, the pods are not biodegradable.
