PuffCycle is the first youth-led initiative in advocating and tackling the pressing challenge of waste generated by disposable e-cigarettes, commonly referred to as "puffs”.

The various components of a puff, notably the lithium-ion battery, can pose significant threat on our land and water ecosystems when not properly disposed. However, currently very few people are aware of this issue, and there’s a lack of practical solutions to tackle the challenge. A puff is powered by a lithium-ion battery hidden inside its aluminum or plastic case, which if not disposed properly can release harmful toxins and pose a serious fire hazard. However, the current low public awareness about this risk as well as the lack of accessible disposal sites for puffs is resulting in most used puffs ending up in normal trash bins or landfills. This endangers our environment as well as poses a threat to the safety of workers who handle the garbage sorting and transportation.

Goals and impact

PuffCycle's mission is to raise awareness about this critical issue while advocating for concrete solutions to address the waste generated by puffs. Hence, we’ve established a partnership with SENS eRecycling - the only organization with a viable puff recycling solution in Switzerland. For all the puffs we collect on the day, we will safely keep them in recycling bags and send to our event partner, the SENS eRecycling foundation, which has launched the only industry solution in Switzerland for the environmentally friendly disposal of e-cigarette. In partnership with leading Swiss recycling expertise, the solution will ensure that the recyclable materials of collected puffs are reused and the pollutants are not released into the landfill.

The problem is too big to be ignored

In Switzerland, there has been a 2,200% increase in the sales of disposable e-cigarettes from 2020 to 2022, with 10 million vapes imported in 2022. Globally, it was estimated that 90 tones of lithium were used in vapes in 2022 – that same amount could fuel over 11,000 Electric Vehicle batteries. In addition, the use of puffs is worryingly significant among the youth – 1 in 8 young people is reported to smoke puffs regularly. The rapidly rising popularity of puffs among teenagers and minors is adding another layer of challenge on the already significant problem.

Research and statistics: Financial Times Truth Initative, RTS-Radio Télévision Suisse, AT Schweiz Swiss Association for Tabaco Control, Tribune de Genève, Association pour la Sauvegarde du Léman - ASL.

Our Actions

• PuffyCycle was selected to pitch our initiative to a diverse and global audience at Change Now Paris 2023 in May 2023, the largest event of solutions for our planet gathering across 120+ countries!


• Medias we've been featured:
  
  
  
  • Tribune de Genève early March 2024, in an article titled "Des jeunes se mobilisent pour recycler les e-cigarettes jetables."
  
  
  • PLAY RTS, early March 2024, in a video titled "Puff".
  
  
  • Radio Lac, early March 2024, in an article and radio titled "Une grande collection de puffs usagée place du Molard".
  
  
  
  


• We have launched our first action day on the 16 March 2024 in Geneva, with the goal to raise awareness about the harmful environmental impact of puff littering and urge people to take action to properly recycle them in partnership with Sens Recycling, and sponsored by Grimper.ch, Magic Tomato, Britannia Pub and more.