Why Disposing Of Cannabis Vape Pens Is A Bigger Deal Than You Think

Do you know which cannabis products pose the biggest challenge for safe disposal? If you guessed vape pens, you’re right.

While vape pens are the ultimate choice for some stoners, and have definitely changed the “high game,” experts warn about dumping them in the trash. Andrew McGinty, the owner and CEO of Cannabis Waste Solutions, explained to SF Gate's Lester Black how marijuana vape pens have a lithium-ion battery that can explode in the trash.

"Lithium reacts violently with water," McGinty said. "If it's thrown in the garbage there's actually a lot of water in the garbage from other stuff decomposing. … Somewhere down the line … it is an explosion and fire hazard risk."

California addressed this issue in 2022 when Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed a legislation, AB 1894, which regulates cannabis vaporizers, including packaging, labeling, disposing and advertising. The new law took effect on July 1, 2024.

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Under this law, California cannabis consumers are not allowed to throw cannabis cartridges or integrated cannabis vaporizers in the trash. Cannabis companies can't label or market these products as disposable or suggest that they are safe to be thrown in the garbage. What's more, they need to "prominently display a specified message to properly dispose of a cannabis cartridge and an integrated cannabis vaporizer as hazardous waste," SF Gate reports.

Practically, this means that when your cannabis vaporizer battery is done, you have to take it to a hazardous waste facility or another approved facility in charge of this type of waste. That's why some marijuana stores have opted to offer cannabis vape pen collection programs.

McGinty's company has teamed up with hundreds of retailers across the Golden State to collect used vape pens. After collecting, the company separates the batteries and sends them to recycling companies. What about cartridges? They are useful too, as they are used for asphalt products.

Under the law, even empty vape cartridges (without battery) can't be thrown in the trash, but must be disposed of at authorized facilities.

Read Next:

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• Michigan Bans Harmful Oil In Marijuana Vapes, Retailers Told To Remove Them From Shelves

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Photo: Courtesy of SD_FlowerPower via Shutterstock