The Local Government Association (LGA) is calling for a change to
the definition of single-use vapes to close an industry loophole,
reduce vape waste, and prevent dangerous bin lorry and waste
fires.
In the year since the disposable vape ban was introduced on 1
June 2025, the number of vapes thrown away each week has
decreased from 8.2 million, but over 6 million are still being
discarded.
Bin lorry, recycling and waste centre fires across the country
have increased over the same period, often caused by lithium-ion
batteries in rechargeable vapes sparking when crushed or damaged.
The market has shifted to rechargeable vapes that are designed,
sold, priced, and used in the same way as the disposables they
replaced. Vapes continue to be placed in household waste with 47
per cent of vape users not aware that vapes can be recycled. Only
53 per cent of those attempting to recycle vapes at supermarkets
report being able to do so consistently, despite retailers being
required to offer take-back recycling schemes.
Councils supported the ban when it came into force and continue
to back it. Now, the LGA, on behalf of councils in England, is
calling on the Government to take further action to cut the
number of rechargeable vapes still being discarded, prevent
fires, and reduce improve recycling.
The LGA is calling on the Government to:
- Tighten the statutory definition of a single-use vape to
include disposable-style products.
- Strengthen and enforce retail take-back schemes, with
penalties for non-compliance, so producers and retailers of vapes
cover the cost of collection.
- Increase producer fees under the Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment regulations to reflect the full cost of safe
disposal.
- Deliver a public awareness campaign on the dangers of
disposing vapes and lithium-ion batteries in household waste.
Cllr Dr MBE, Chair of the Local
Government Association's Health and Wellbeing Committee,
said:
“The ban on single-use vapes was the right decision and councils
continue to be strong supporters.
“A year on, the volume of vapes in our bins has dropped, but
industry has moved faster than regulation – the products causing
fires in our bin lorries today are effectively the same
disposables in a different shell.
“Councils are bearing the cost of contaminated recycling and
dangerous fires, with residents ultimately paying through council
tax instead of producers and retailers.
“Year one of the ban has shown what regulation alone can achieve.
Year two must focus on enforcement, producer responsibility, and
closing this industry loophole to keep rechargeable vapes out of
our waste system, preventing further fires and reducing
unnecessary local resource drain.”
Notes to editors
- The ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes came into
force in the UK on 1 June 2025.
-
Material Focus:
- o 3 million vapes are thrown away each week, a decrease
from 8.2 million before the ban in 2025.
- o 47 per cent of vapers say that they did not know that
they could recycle their vapes.
- o 53 per of people who tried to recycle vapes at a
supermarket were able to do so every time.
-
Waste electrical and
electronic equipment (WEEE) regulations require retailers
to provide a way for customers to dispose of old electrical and
electronic equipment – take back schemes. It is reported that in
many cases, vape retailers are not complying with regulation
