The disposable vape ban and why reusable must mean reusable: How cosmetic design, excess plastic and unsubstantiated green claims could derail the UK’s biggest step toward vape waste reform

• The UK’s upcoming disposable vapes ban targets massive weekly waste, but some brands may be exploiting loopholes
• True reusability – in function and design – is essential to protect the environment and maintain public trust
• SKE recently launched a new reusable product with oversized plastic casing, complicating reuse, retail practicality and environmental intent

A study by Material Focus, an independent not-for-profit organisation focused on helping the UK recycle electrical waste, found that of the 13.5 million vapes bought per week in 2024, 60% (8.2 million) were either binned or wrongly recycled.

This scale of waste illustrates what the upcoming disposable vapes ban, effective from June 2025, aims to address – preventing millions of plastic and battery-laden devices from being thrown away each week.

As the ban edges closer, it’s encouraging to see a recent University College London study confirm the use of disposable vapes is in decline, with consumers turning to reusable products like prefilled pod kits. This follows market-leading brands in the disposable vape industry taking proactive steps by launching reusable versions of their single-use products as part of a concerted effort to address environmental concerns.

However, despite the promising early signs, some environmental campaigners and industry observers have raised concerns about brands deliberately skirting upcoming legal requirements while marketing their products as reusable. One example, reported in UK media, involves lesser-known brands fitting devices with superficial charging ports that serve no practical purpose beyond trying to mislead consumers and regulators into believing the products are rechargeable.

While the above is a clear-cut example of deceptive design, there are other cases where products may meet the letter of the law but arguably fall short of their environmental intent.

Take one of the UK’s biggest vape brands, SKE. It recently launched two reusable devices. One with a small and replaceable e-liquid pod – a move in line with the environmental goals of the upcoming ban. The other, while technically refillable, uses a disproportionately large shell that encases the pod – almost matching the size of the device itself and contributing to excess plastic waste with no clear functional benefit.

This is a design choice at odds with the device providing “an eco-friendly and long-lasting choice” as it's described on the website, especially when compared to SKE’s other reusable offering.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs says that to qualify as reusable, a product must allow the average consumer to access and replace refills easily. But when a device has a replaceable pod that’s much bigger than it needs to be, this creates logistical challenges for retailers since shelf space is limited making it impractical to stock.

It also prompts the question of whether the design meaningfully supports reuse and the environment as intended or if it ticks compliance boxes while perpetuating throwaway habits.

According to the UK Government’s Green Claims Code, terms like “eco” and “sustainable” must be supported by clear evidence and not exaggerate a product’s environmental benefit. Marketing products that generate significant waste as eco-friendly risks breaching these standards, especially without clear evidence that a product is genuinely refillable and supports repeated use in practice.

The UK’s disposable ban stands to be a pivotal step in environmental accountability. However, for legislation to be truly effective, it must be enforced on what a product claims to be and how it's used in practice. Anything less risks undermining not just the legislation but public trust in the wider effort to reduce waste and protect the environment.

As consumers, retailers and policymakers prepare for what comes next, one guiding principle must underlie the disposable ban: reusable must mean reusable in both design and intent. If that standard is upheld, the UK has a real chance to curb vape waste and set a meaningful precedent for sustainable product regulation.