'Twitter on a Vape' and The Great E-Waste Crisis

Mar 11, 2026

Samantha Cole, tech reporter who bought a viral touchscreen disposable vape to test its claims, and Yogi Hale Hendlin, environmental philosopher studying vaping and e‑waste, dig into how smart single‑use vapes proliferated. They explore the viral “Twitter on a vape” stunt, the regulatory loopholes and flavor-driven surge in disposables, and why these devices are creating a new, techy e‑waste problem.

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ANECDOTE

Reporter Tried A Smart Disposable Vape

Samantha Cole bought a touchscreen disposable vape marketed with app notifications and games and found it required a phone app via Bluetooth to show Twitter alerts.
She became quickly hooked by the combo of nicotine plus ping-driven checking, taking it everywhere until leaving it behind in L.A.

INSIGHT

Disposable Vapes Are Real E-Waste

Disposable vapes contribute to e-waste because they contain batteries, circuit boards, screens, and heavy metals that don't biodegrade.
When discarded in landfills these components leach toxins and represent wasted finite resources like lithium.

INSIGHT

Flavor Ban Created A Disposable Loophole

The 2020 FDA flavored-cartridge ban targeted reusable pods but left a loophole for disposable vapes, sparking a flood of flavored single-use devices.
Manufacturers exploited that gap to sell dessert and candy flavors appealing to youth.

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A legal loophole has led to a surge in single-use vapes packed with a surprising amount of electronic components. It’s also a glimpse into how our disposable tech habits are fueling a growing e-waste problem. In this episode, tech reporter Samatha Cole shares what happened when she tried to “vape the internet” after seeing a viral post about a disposable touchscreen vape with built-in social media. We also hear from environmental philosopher and public health researcher Yogi Hale Hendlin, who explains how flavored vape bans have led to the flood of high-tech disposables — and how tackling the e-waste crisis will take a radical rethink of our relationship with the products we consume.

This episode first aired on April 16th, 2025

Guests:

Samantha Cole, reporter and co-founder of 404 Media

Yogi Hale Hendlin, environmental philosopher and assistant professor at Erasmus University

Further Reading:

I Tried to Vape the Internet – Samantha Cole, 404 Media

Communities can't recycle or trash disposable e-cigarettes. So what happens to them? – Matthew Perrone, Associated Press

How ‘Sour Raspberry Gummy Bear’ — and Other Chinese Vapes — Made Fools of American Lawmakers – Marc Novicoff, Politico

The right to repair electronics is now law in 3 states. Is Big Tech complying? – Maddie Stone, Grist

Disposable vapes thrown away quadruples to 5 M per week – Material Focus

Read the transcript here

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Credits: Close All Tabs is hosted by Morgan Sung. Our team includes producer Maya Cueva, editor Chris Hambrick and senior editor Chris Egusa who also composed our theme song and credits music. Additional music from APM. Audio engineering by Brendan Willard. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad. Jen Chien is our Director of Podcasts. Katie Sprenger is our Director of Content Operations. Ethan Toven-Lindsey is our Editor in Chief.

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