UK ban on single-use vapes comes into force to stop children's use and cut down on waste

By Euronews with AP

Published on 02/06/2025 - 12:15 GMT+2

A ban connected disposable vapes came into unit crossed nan United Kingdom connected Sunday arsenic nan British authorities intends to stem their usage by children, trim litter, and forestall nan leaking of harmful chemicals into nan environment.

The prohibition makes it forbidden for immoderate retailer – online aliases in-store – to waste vapes, whether they incorporate nicotine aliases not. They will still beryllium capable to waste reusable vapes.

The crackdown follows nan soaring usage of disposable vapes successful schools and a rising tide of trash arsenic users dispose of nan vapes.

It is estimated that arsenic galore arsenic 5 cardinal disposable vapes are thrown successful bins aliases littered each week crossed nan UK, alternatively than being recycled.

A number of countries are seeking to modulate nan vape market, which has grown exponentially complete nan past decade aliases so.

Australia outlawed nan waste of vapes extracurricular pharmacies past twelvemonth successful immoderate of nan world’s toughest restrictions connected physics cigarettes, while Belgium became nan first European state to prohibition nan usage of disposable vapes astatine nan commencement of this year.

California has been astatine nan forefront of bringing successful caller regulations successful nan United States.

'Serious unintended consequences' of a ban

The UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said usage among young group remained excessively high, and nan prohibition would "put an extremity to their alarming emergence successful schoolhouse playgrounds and nan avalanche of rubbish flooding nan nation’s streets".

Also known arsenic single-use vapes, disposable vapes are non-refillable and incapable to beryllium recharged, and are typically thrown distant pinch wide discarded aliases conscionable thrown connected nan street.

Even erstwhile they are recycled, they request to beryllium taken isolated by hand, while their batteries are a occurrence consequence to recycling accommodation and tin leak harmful chemicals into nan situation and perchance harm wildlife.

Businesses were fixed six months to hole for nan alteration by trading immoderate existing stock.

Rogue traders who proceed to waste them consequence a good of £200 (€239) successful nan first instance, followed by an unlimited good aliases jailhouse clip for repetition offending.

The UK Vaping Industry Association said its members had moved quickly to comply pinch nan June 1 deadline, but warned of "serious unintended consequences" emanating from excessively overmuch regulation.

"We are concerned that this prohibition will promote erstwhile smokers who person already transitioned from cigarettes, which termination 220 group each time successful nan UK, to return to combustible baccy aliases opt for unregulated vapes," said its head general, John Dunne.

Separately, nan British authorities is legislating to perchance restrict nan packaging, trading and flavours of e-cigarettes.