Rockland’s 2026 Hazardous Waste Day will take place Saturday, Aug. 15, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Rockland Transfer Station. During this event, Rockland residents can dispose of hazardous items such as paint, chemicals, pesticides, etc.

One item residents may not realize qualifies as hazardous waste is a disposable vape, also known as an e-cigarette, according to a  Penobscot Bay Community Health Partnerships news release.

"Contrary to their name, 'disposable' vapes are not actually safe to throw in the trash," said PBCHP. "These devices often contain a lithium ion battery, which is combustible. When these batteries are crushed, they can explode, smoke, or ignite. Even when the fire is put out, they can continue to smoke for extended periods of time. This creates a large fire hazard when they are thrown in the regular garbage and end up in a trash compactor, or in landfills where they have caused underground fires. E-cigarettes are also composed primarily of plastic, which will take hundreds of years to decompose. Over time, plastics and residual e-liquid can contaminate soil and waterways, posing risks to ecosystems and industries that depend on clean water, including Maine's fisheries."

Due to the combination of the lithium battery, plastic, and e-liquid (which is considered toxic), these “disposable” vapes are complex hazardous waste, according to PBCHP. The only proper way to dispose of them is by bringing them somewhere that collects and sorts hazardous waste.

"In Rockland, and surrounding towns, hazardous materials are only collected once, or sometimes twice, per year," said PBCHP. "Due to this, proper disposal is difficult, expensive, and uncommon. Expanded community education and improved access to disposal options are necessary to reduce improper disposal across the state and nation."

Rockland residents are encouraged to take advantage of Hazardous Waste Day on Saturday, August 15, to safely dispose of disposable vapes and other household hazardous waste.

Penobscot Bay Community Health Partnerships (PBCHP), the community health promotion branch of the Penobscot Bay YMCA, serves Knox and Waldo counties to support healthier living in Maine. PBCHP focuses on substance use prevention, harm reduction, tobacco/nicotine prevention, and nutrition education. For more information on how to support this effort, please contact: Jamie Lovley, Penobscot Bay Community Health Partnerships, jlovley@penbayymca.org 207-236-6313 ext. 1