Exact date disposable vapes will be banned next year revealed
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
From June 1, 2025, the sale of single-use disposable vapes will be banned in England and Wales in a bid to protect children's health and prevent environmental damage.
They are not rechargeable or refillable, and are typically discarded as general waste in a bin or littered, rather than recycled – contributing to a flood of litter on our streets.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdEven when they are sent to recycling facilities, they usually have to be disassembled by hand – a slow and difficult process which will struggle to keep up with the pace of vape production. Their lithium-ion batteries can also present a fire risk to waste industry workers.
It’s estimated that over 30 million single-use vapes are sold each month, with a staggering five million being dumped weekly.
Join our new WhatsApp Community to get the latest news and top stories from across Lancashire directly to your phone
These colourful, sweet-flavoured gadgets have exploded in popularity, especially among teenagers – but they’re wreaking havoc on the environment. With fewer than 20 per cent of users recycling them, most end up either in the bin or discarded in public spaces.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdJohn Roberts, Senior Operating Officer at Kingdom Local Authority Support warned: “The ban is a positive step, but it’s not going to solve the littering crisis overnight. Retailers will likely try to offload stock as quickly as possible, and many vapers will stockpile them.
“Combine that with the black market, which is already thriving, and we could see even morevapesending up on our streets.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdDisposable vapes contain dangerous chemicals like battery acid, lithium, and nicotine, which can leak into the ground, contaminating the soil and water, and putting wildlife at risk.
The long term health impacts of vaping are unknown and the usage of them across England grew by more than 400 per cent between 2012 and 2023.
It is illegal to sell one to a person under the age of 18.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.