Waste fires are on the rise largely thanks to the lithium-ion batteries in vape pens

Why it matters: Vaping has been around for a long time, but its popularity didn't skyrocket until the early 2010s. Since then, it has significantly contributed to the world's e-waste problem, with thousands of disposable devices filling landfills and recycling centers. Not only are e-cigarettes damaging to the environment, but they are also a growing fire hazard. Fire Rover, a company that specializes in automated and semi-automated fire suppression systems, released its annual report noting that waste and recycling fires are steadily rising. In 2024, the company recorded 2,910 fires – a 60-percent increase from 2023's 1,809 and a 100-percent jump from 2022's 1,409 incidents. The report also notes that fire crews dispatched to emergencies at trash and recycling facilities hit a record high of 398, a steady growth since Fire Rover began tracking the stat at 275 incidents in 2016. Lithium-ion battery fires are not new, nor are they the only cause of trash and recycling blazes. Fire Rov ... Read full article.