Government

Disposable vapes banned in England from next year

Defra announces ban on sale and supply of disposable vapes from June 2025 in a bid to ‘end this nation’s throwaway culture’.

Collection of disposable vapesThe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed new legislation to ban the sale of single-use vapes starting from 1 June 2025. The ban will apply to all vapes that are not rechargeable or refillable.

Circular Economy Minister, Mary Creagh, explained that the move is aimed to tackle growing problems linked to single-use vapes: “Single-use vapes are extremely wasteful and blight our towns and cities. That is why we are banning single use vapes as we end this nation’s throwaway culture.”

Creagh added: “This is the first step on the road to a circular economy, where we use resources for longer, reduce waste, accelerate the path to net-zero and create thousands of jobs across the country.”

The devolved governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have all announced intentions to introduce similar bans.

Environmental impact of single-use vapes

In 2023, Defra estimated that nearly five million single-use vapes were littered or disposed of in general waste every week, a figure nearly four times higher than the previous year.

The improper disposal of these devices results in the loss of valuable materials like lithium, which is used in technologies such as electric vehicle batteries. In 2022, more than 40 tonnes of lithium from discarded vapes were wasted, enough to power 5,000 electric vehicles.

Single-use vapes also pose risks to waste management workers, as the lithium-ion batteries can cause fires if not properly handled.

When sent to recycling facilities, these vapes require manual disassembly, a time-consuming and difficult process that slows down efficient recycling.

As well as reducing waste, the ban is expected to limit the release of harmful materials like plastic, lead, and mercury into the environment, reducing the contamination of waterways and harm to wildlife.

Recycling compliance concerns

Despite legal obligations for vape producers and retailers to collect and recycle these products, research by Material Focus shows that 90 per cent of companies are not fully meeting their responsibilities.

Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus, commented: “When a disposable vape ban comes in, vapes still do need a special category under environmental regulations, which would allow the government to set clear collection targets and can only help in the move to get those profiting from vapes to cover the costs of dealing with them. Too many companies are currently dodging their share of £200 million/year responsibility for collection and recycling.”

While the ban will prevent further production of single-use vapes after June 2025, Material Focus warns that the government will need to address the disposal of vapes produced before the ban comes into effect.

Butler added: “In our research 5 million single-use vapes are currently binned or littered every week in the UK creating a staggering amount of waste. With the ban due to come into place, this means 150 million vapes will be thrown away, losing all the precious materials contained in vapes forever such as lithium and posing fire risks.”

Vape producers and retailers will have until June 2025 to sell any remaining stock and prepare for the ban.

Support for the ban

The public has largely backed the government’s decision, with 69 per cent of respondents to a consultation in February 2024 supporting the restriction of single-use vapes.

Public Health Minister Andrew Gwynne highlighted the additional concern about youth vaping: “It’s deeply worrying that a quarter of 11-15-year-olds used a vape last year and we know disposables are the product of choice for the majority of kids vaping today.

“Banning disposable vapes will not only protect the environment, but importantly reduce the appeal of vapes to children and keep them out of the hands of vulnerable young people.”

Libby Peake, Head of Resources at Green Alliance, expressed support for the new legislation: “Disposable vapes are the last thing our children and the planet need, and for too long the market for them has been allowed to grow unchecked. Every single one wastes resources that are critical to a more sustainable economy.

“The government is right to ban these harmful devices - it’s a welcome step in the journey towards an economy where waste is reduced by design.”

Industry responses to the ban have also been largely positive.

Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer at SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, Dr Adam Read MBE, welcomed the ban: “We welcome the Government’s announcement that disposable vapes will be banned in England from June next year. Disposable vapes are an increasing problem in SUEZ’s waste facilities across the country, with millions thrown away every year presenting a major fire risk.”

Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, added: “We’re delighted that the Government has listened to the longstanding concerns of the LGA and councils and is taking decisive action to ban single-use vapes from 1 June 2025. With over 5 million thrown away each week. Disposable vapes are inherently unsustainable products, meaning an outright ban remains the most effective solution to this problem.”

Reinforcing Minister Mary Creagh’s endorsement of the ban, Co-Founder of A Plastic Plant & Plastic Health Council, Sian Sutherland, said: “Minister Creagh is right, we must end this nation’s throwaway culture; it is an essential for the health of our environment, economy and people. But we must recognise this is a culture that has been force fed to us by corporations with little regard for anything other than the bottom line.”

Sutherland also expressed concerns about the impact of the plastic covering of vapes on public health: “Today we have zero choice but to inhale plastic infected air; drink plastic filled water and eat plastic contaminated food. Banning single use items such as vapes is essential to protect not just the users of vapes but all of us.”

Ireland and Belgium have also recently revealed plans to ban the products, while countries such as New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, India, and Brazil have already put restrictions in place.

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