
Vapes (a.k.a. e-cigarettes) emerged as a “cleaner” alternative to smoking. But their growing popularity has led to increasing environmental concerns.
People often think about human health concerns when it comes to vaping and smoking impacts. In Canada, warnings and graphic images cover cigarette cartons. But what about the planet’s health?
Unpack the environmental toll of smoking and vaping and explore ways to reduce harm.
From field to filter: tobacco’s environmental impacts
Note: Tobacco is an integral part of many Indigenous cultures in Canada. Considered a sacred plant and treated with care and respect, it’s used in ritual, ceremony and prayer. Don’t conflate traditional tobacco uses with commercial products.
BURNING FACTS
4.5 million
cigarettes are discarded every year.
3.7 litres
of water are needed to produce a single cigarette.
2 million tonnes
of cigarette packaging waste is generated every year.
Source: World Health Organization, Tobacco: Poisoning our Planet
Water use and deforestation
Tobacco is a water-intensive crop. A single plant needs around 22 litres of water (equal to three long showers) to grow to maturity. Globally, the tobacco industry uses about 22 billion tonnes of water each yeaer.
Tobacco farming is also responsible for five per cent of global deforestation. Some 600 million trees are cut down every year for tobacco production. Deforestation destroys habitats, displaces wildlife and contributes to climate change.
Pollution
Cigarette butts are one of the most littered items in the world. About 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded incorrectly every year. Cigarette filters are often made of non-biodegradable synthetic cellulose acetate. Over time, they break down into microplastics that persist in the environment and pose long-term risks to ecosystems. Cigarette butts can also leach chemicals like nicotine and heavy metals into soil and waterways, harming wildlife and aquatic ecosystems.
Tobacco smoke also contains many air pollutants. These include three major greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide — that contribute to climate change.
Vapour trails: The environmental impacts of vaping
Vapes (a.k.a. e-cigarettes) emerged as a “cleaner” alternative to smoking. They were often marketed as a way to quit cigarettes. Now they’re the most common electronic nicotine delivery system. And they’ve introduced a slew of new environmental concerns.
SMOKIN' STATS
60 million
vapes and refills are sold every year. One-third are designed for single-use.
5 million
vapes are landfilled every week just in the U.K.
5,000
electric vehicle batteries could be made with the same amount of lithium that's tossed with disposable vapes in the U.K.
Sources: 1. Gabrielle Ngambo et al., “A scoping review on e-cigarette environmental impacts”
2. & 3. Greenpeace U.K., “Are disposable vapes bad for the environment?”
Mining and extraction
Each vape device is made of a mixture of materials, from lithium-ion batteries and metal coils to plastic cartridges and electronic circuits. Most of these components require resource-intensive mining and manufacturing processes.
Vape batteries need lithium, cobalt and nickel extraction. These are often mined in regions with limited environmental and labour regulations. Mining them (especially cobalt and lithium) contributes to violence, forced displacement and human rights abuses.
E-waste
Vaping’s growing popularity is changing e-waste composition. Disposable vaping devices combine the issues of e-waste and single-use plastics. They’re a complex waste management challenge.
Most vaping devices contain lithium-ion batteries that require specialized disposal. Thrown into regular trash, they become potential fire hazards in waste management facilities and toxic leachate in landfills.
Air pollution
Although vaping produces fewer emissions than smoking tobacco, it’s not pollution-free. Vape vapour contains trace amounts of chemicals like formaldehyde and heavy metals. Plastic parts of vaping devices and vaping liquid also release volatile organic compounds and other pollutants into the atmosphere when heated.

Recycle your electronics
Hot new gadgets are released and marketed so fast, waste and recycling systems can’t keep up. E-waste is a rapidly growing cause of world pollution.
How to cut waste from vaping and smoking
Environmental consequences of smoking and vaping may not be as immediately visible as their health impacts, but they’re just as pressing. Addressing the issues requires collective action — from individual choices to industry regulations.
We do not condone or encourage smoking and vaping because of their many negative impacts on human health and the environment. The best option to safeguard your health and the environment is to quit.
For those who can’t or don’t want to quit, reduce your waste and environmental impact.
For smokers:
- Recycle cigarette packaging. Separate plastic, cardboard and foil.
- Use a portable ashtray. Prevent littering. When you can’t dispose of your cigarette butt in a designated receptacle, use a pocket and/or portable ashtray.
- Find cigarette butt recycling programs. Research community recycling programs near you that accept cigarette waste. Or find a TerraCycle UNSMOKE public drop-off near you (Bonus: They accept and recycle butts, filters, loose tobacco pouches, outer plastic and inner foil packaging and rolling paper).
- Roll your own. Buy bulk organic tobacco from Canadian producers. Roll it with organic, unbleached cigarette tubes and filters.
For vape users:
Note: Most vape devices are made of several recyclable components. Those may need to be separated for proper recycling and disposal. Seek online resources for guidance on how to take your device apart.
- Look into manufacturer recycling and take-back programs. Contact your device manufacturer about their recycling options. Some accept disposable vapes via mail for proper recycling and disposal. Others may partner with local vape shops for collection on-site.
- Check local recycling options and guidelines. Check with your local recycling centre for guidance on e-waste and batteries.
- Use a refillable device. Ditch disposables and choose a refillable device. They can last up to a year and greatly reduce waste.