Why single-use vapes are banned
Single-use vapes pose serious environmental and public health risks.
Environmental impact
- Difficult to recycle - often end up in landfill
- Batteries leak harmful chemicals like battery acid, lithium, and mercury
- Cause fires in bin lorries and waste centres
DEFRA estimates that almost 5 million single-use vapes were littered or thrown away each week in the UK last year
Long-term damage
- Vapes contain plastics that break down into microplastics
- These enter soil, rivers, and food chains
- Batteries contain valuable materials like cobalt and copper, which are wasted