The sale and supply of single-use vapes has been banned from today in a move to protect children’s health and the environment.
The ban, which applies to online retailers and physical shops, means that no one will be able to stock or sell single-use vapes, whether they contain nicotine or not, and makes it a crime to do so.
Every store, from convenience stores, market stalls, petrol stations, specialist vape shops, and supermarkets, will be affected by the ban. Manufacturers, wholesalers, and importers are also affected.
Single-use vapes are defined by the government as either having a battery that is not rechargeable or not being a refillable vape. Reusable vapes are not affected by the ban.
The move comes to improve health outcomes in younger people in the UK but also as a way to help the environment, as disposable, single-use vapes are hugely damaging to it.
For example, birds, fish, and marine mammals can mistake vapes for food if they are not disposed of correctly, leading to them ingesting dangerous chemicals.
However, single-use vapes are difficult to dispose of, even when doing so correctly. Even if thrown in a bin and sent to a landfill, single-use vapes release substances like lead and mercury into the soil, rivers and streams, damaging ecosystems and habitats.
Furthermore, the plastics used in the products are “nearly impossible for nature to completely break down”, instead breaking down into microplastics which enter the food chain.
A study by Material Focus found that almost five million single-use vapes were disposed of every week in the UK last year. The year prior, they found that more than 40 tonnes of lithium were discarded in these products – the same amount used to power 5,000 electric vehicles.
In England, the penalty for still selling these types of vapes is a fine of £200, a compliance notice, or a stop notice, as well as seizure of any stock. If a retailer continues to stock, then they can face a prison sentence of up to two years or an unlimited fine.
Reporter.
Part of the Gi Grimsby News team since 2024.