Calling attention to unsafe vape disposal

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Dear Editor:

A Westfield resident recently shared on Facebook that a local vape and tobacco shop has been throwing nicotine and THC vape products into its dumpster, and that children have been pulling them out of the trash and using them. I’ve shared this with local health, law enforcement, and state tobacco officials, and I trust them to look into it. But this issue is bigger than one store, and every parent and retailer in Hamilton County should know about it.

A discarded vape is not harmless trash. Many still contain nicotine or THC, and a curious child who finds one can be exposed to a highly addictive or impairing substance with no age check at all. The lithium batteries inside can also catch fire when crushed in a dumpster or garbage truck.

These products aren’t supposed to go in the regular trash at all. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency treats discarded nicotine e-liquid as an acute hazardous waste and vape batteries as hazardous waste. Retailers are expected to use licensed disposal services, not the dumpster out back.

I’d ask three things of our community:

1. Retailers: Review how your store disposes of expired or returned vape products, and secure your dumpsters. The EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management offer free guidance.
2. Parents: Talk with your kids about what they might find and why they should leave it alone. If you find vapes in public trash or on the ground, report it.
3. Everyone: If you see vape products being discarded where kids can reach them, contact the Hamilton County Health Department or your local police.

Keeping kids safe also takes people in our schools. On Nov. 3, Westfield Washington Township voters will decide the school operating referendum, which would fund School Resource Officers in every school along with more counselors, social workers, and mental health supports. I’ll be voting yes, and I hope you’ll join me.

Our community works hard to keep these products out of young hands. Careless disposal shouldn’t undo that work. If you or someone you love is ready to stop vaping or using tobacco, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free help.

Stacy Collins
Westfield