A ban on the sale and supply of single use vapes will come into
force on 1 June 2025, Minister Muir said.
The Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affair Minister has announced that, from 1
June 2025, selling and supplying single-use vapes will no longer
be allowed in Northern Ireland.
The Scottish, Welsh and UK Governments have also introduced
equivalent legislation, with the same implementation date of 1
June 2025.
It is estimated that as many as five million single use vapes are
simply thrown away in residual bins or littered every week across
the UK, rather than being recycled.
The Minister said: “The environmental damage created by
the rise in the littering and incorrect disposal of used vapes,
as well as their poor recyclability, is a key concern for me.
Single use vape waste can have a devastating impact on our
environment and biodiversity and I welcome this ban which will
have better benefits for our environment and consequently for our
general health and well-being.
“The ban follows strong support from the Northern Ireland
public in response to the UK wide consultation on ‘Creating a
Smokefree Generation and Tackling Youth Vaping'. 90.4% of
individual respondents from Northern Ireland agreed there should
be restrictions on the sale and supply of single use vapes and
84.9% agreed that restrictions should take the form of a ban on
their sale and supply.”
The Minister concluded: “My Department, UK Government,
Scottish and Welsh Governments have committed to separately
developing legislation to ban single use vapes, with an agreed UK
wide ban coming into operation from 1 June 2025.
“Alignment of approaches will reduce environmental harms
associated with the incorrect disposal of single use vapes and
will help provide clarity for businesses which are currently
selling single use vaping products.”
Businesses have six months to prepare for the change by selling
any existing stock of single-use vapes. During this period, DAERA
will work with retail organisations and other stakeholders to
ensure those affected understand the ban and their new subsequent
responsibilities.
UK-wide guidance for businesses is being prepared and is due to
be published on DAERA's website later this
month.
Notes to editors:
- A single use vapes working group has been formed between
Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. Each nation is
progressing its own legislation and have agreed a joint
coming into force date of 1 June 2025.
- The legislation provides for criminal sanctions for failure
to comply with the regulation, with a maximum penalty, on
indictment, of up to two years imprisonment and a fine.
- The response to the UK wide consultation on ‘Creating a
Smokefree Generation and Tackling Youth Vaping' is located
at: Creating a smokefree
generation and tackling youth vaping consultation: government
response - GOV.UK
