The Local Government Association (LGA) has called for the sale and manufacture of disposable vapes to be stopped next year, in line with other EU countries.
Local authorities in England and Wales have implored the Government to ban single-use e-cigarettes on environmental and health grounds.
France has emerged as a frontrunner to enforce a ban as early as the end of 2023, while the European Union is expected to follow France’s lead in 2026.
The LGA has expressed urgency in pushing through a “crucial” before disposable vapes become any more entrenched in the UK market.
A vape is removed from a football pitch
PA
The organisation raised concerns that the e-cigarettes are “almost impossible to recycle,” become a “hazard” for waste collectors, and entice children and young people with coulourful designs and flavours.
David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Councils are not anti-vapes, which are shown to be less harmful than smoking and have a place as a tool to use in smoking cessation.
“However, disposable vapes are fundamentally flawed in their design and inherently unsustainable products, meaning an outright ban will prove more effective than attempts to recycle more vapes.
“Single-use vapes blight our streets as litter, are a hazard in our bin lorries, are expensive and difficult to deal with in our recycling centres.
A refillable vape
PA
“Their colours, flavours and advertising are appealing to children and the penalties for retailers selling them don’t go far enough.
“Councils urge the Government to take this action to protect our planet, keep children safe and save taxpayers money.”
Public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) has declared that it cannot support a call for a full ban, for such a decision would “turbo-charge” the illegal sale of vapes to children.
Deputy chief executive Hazel Cheeseman said: “Ash is sympathetic to calls by the LGA and others to ban single-use disposable e-cigarettes but the risk of unintended consequences is too great for us to support a ban.
UKNSC recommends a mass rollout of health checks for all former and current smokers aged between 55 and 74PA“Children already find it easy to get hold of illegal vapes as those selling them have no qualms selling to children. Making them all illegal won’t help. The sale of illegal disposable vapes, already large and growing, will be turbo-charged if they are banned.”
Cheeseman expressed support for a tax on disposable vapes that would make them less affordable.
A Government spokesperson said: “We are concerned about the use of vaping products, particularly among young people.
“That is why we launched a call for evidence to examine both the environmental and health impact of vapes, and identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing them.
“We strongly encourage all consumers to consider the environment and dispose of electrical waste, including by making use of take back schemes at participating retailers.”
Earlier this month, the British Medical Association (BMA) voted to review the potential dangers of vaping in a bid to tackle what it described as a “growing epidemic”.
Members will push for a ban on flavoured vapes and call for a clampdown on underage sales.
The investigation will also assess the dangers of vaping and call for plain packaging in line with tobacco and cigarettes.
It comes following the news that anyone middle aged and over who has ever smoked is set to be encouraged to partake in on-the-spot lung checks in a landmark scheme.