News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:There's a ridiculous amount of tech in a disposable vape by Fargren on Wednesday January 14, 2026 @06:59AM (#46615069)
What would be properly recycling electronics, if not extracting the metals? should the worthless based board to be melted and used for bottles?
Re:There's a ridiculous amount of tech in a disposable vape by sejje on Wednesday January 14, 2026 @08:09AM (#46615614)
Isn't that the point of recycling? To reuse the reusable materials like plastic?
Re:There's a ridiculous amount of tech in a disposable vape by Fargren on Wednesday January 14, 2026 @08:52AM (#46616075)
If salvaging 100% of the materials that make up something is the only way to "properly" recycle, we are not recycling anything properly. Some components are not recyclable.

I won't speculate about whether the plastic on the board is recyclable, or ecological to recycle. I don't know. This is what I'm asking.

Re:There's a ridiculous amount of tech in a disposable vape by adrianN on Wednesday January 14, 2026 @11:27AM (#46618065)
Not burning all the ICs and all the other components that still work perfectly fine would be a good start imo.
Re:There's a ridiculous amount of tech in a disposable vape by Fargren on Wednesday January 14, 2026 @02:28PM (#46621440)
That would fall under Reuse rather than Recycle. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle are in the order of best to worst. Recycling is the last ditch effort to not completely waste something. It's always going to feel like a half measure, because it is.
Re:There's a ridiculous amount of tech in a disposable vape by adrianN on Wednesday January 14, 2026 @10:11PM (#46627566)
I would say reusing a "disposable" vape would be refilling it and recharging or exchanging the battery, not salvaging it for parts.
Re:There's a ridiculous amount of tech in a disposable vape by shibapuppie on Wednesday January 14, 2026 @03:14PM (#46622385)
To do WHAT with? Catalog and categorize the millions of random penny-priced ICs that MIGHT be usable for something else?
Re:There's a ridiculous amount of tech in a disposable vape by adrianN on Wednesday January 14, 2026 @10:12PM (#46627573)
That there is no way to recycle electronics economically is the reason that they are not recycled. I don't claim otherwise.