The electric economy is facing a lithium crisis.

Lithium is a finite resource and is essential to powering the electric economy. Single-use, disposable devices - including vapes and e-cigarettes - are not only toxic to individuals' health but are also toxic to the environment when improperly disposed of.

It is estimated that tens of millions of vape pens are sent to the landfill each year - enough to stretch across the entire U.S. and back when linked up end-to-end. Improper disposal of these devices poses an environmental hazard as well as a public health hazard. The toxic materials in disposable vape devices - nicotine, plastic, heavy metals such as lead, and batteries - can emit greenhouse gasses through photochemical reactions, leach dangerous chemicals into the ground, and even start fires.

The vape market is estimated to generate roughly $2.5 billion annually, and it's expected to grow nearly 25% each year through 2027. With so many disposable vapes being purchased - and thrown away - communities are struggling to find a way to dispose of these battery-powered devices. Federal law prohibits vape/e-cigarette disposal in municipal trash but provides little further guidance. The vaping industry, many of which's products are imported from China illegally and sold without FDA approval, has also been skirting any responsibility for its products' environmental impact.