A year after the UK government banned single-use vapes, millions of devices are still being discarded, with councils and campaigners warning that cheap reusable alternatives are circumventing the legislation. The ban, introduced to curb youth usage and environmental harm, required vapes to meet reusable criteria, but manufacturers have developed low-cost models that legally comply yet function like disposables.
Local authorities, including the Local Government Association (LGA), are urging ministers to tighten the definition of single-use vapes to include these products. They also highlight gaps in recycling access: a Material Focus survey of 1,000 adult vape buyers found 47% were unaware vapes could be recycled, and many struggled to find collection points at supermarkets, convenience stores, and specialist retailers.
Waste management company Biffa has called for a mandatory deposit scheme, where consumers pay a small fee refundable upon returning devices to take-back systems at all vape retailers. The industry trade body Environmental Services Association supports the plan. Biffa data shows over two million vapes were incorrectly discarded at just four of its sites between June 2025 and March 2026, equating to nearly 300 per hour.
Fire chiefs warn that lithium-ion batteries in rechargeable vapes can spark when crushed, causing blazes in bin lorries and recycling centres. The LGA says councils bear the cost of contaminated recycling and fires, ultimately falling on residents via council tax rather than producers. Wendy Taylor, LGA health committee chair, stated: 'Industry has moved faster than regulation – the products causing fires today are effectively the same disposables in a different shell.'
The LGA is calling for stronger retail take-back schemes, higher producer fees to cover disposal costs, and a public awareness campaign on the dangers of binning vapes. Joanne Henderson of the National Fire Chiefs Council emphasised that every incorrectly disposed vape risks a serious fire, urging clear information and accessible recycling points.
