Single-use vapes banned in the UK are being given a second life on the battlefields of Ukraine, where volunteers are converting them into power banks for frontline soldiers. Since the government outlawed disposable e-cigarettes a year ago, a workshop in Lviv has been repurposing thousands of discarded devices sent from Britain.
Ben Hoerber, 35, a former teacher from Florida who arrived in Ukraine in 2023, leads the project. 'Energy is like food and water on the frontlines – it's essential for powering the equipment that keeps you alive,' he said. Each power bank uses 50 lithium-ion batteries extracted from the vapes, which are soldered together and encased in a 3D-printed box bearing the Ukrainian Tryzub symbol.
The devices can charge two items simultaneously, such as phones, radios, drone batteries or anti-drone detectors, and last several days before needing recharging. 'The power banks are saving lives, because soldiers don't have to run back frequently to recharge equipment, which potentially draws fire,' Hoerber added.
Before the ban, more than five million single-use vapes were discarded weekly in the UK. In 2022, about 40 tonnes of lithium from disposable vapes were thrown away – enough to power 5,000 electric vehicles. Volunteers in Lviv, mostly from Europe and the US, can produce a power bank in around two hours after training.
