Will Rechargeable and Refillable Vapes Stay Exempt in the UK

Like in the US, in the UK, vapes are a hot topic, and legislation one way or another always seems to be on the ballot. Right now, especially, many people in UK are wondering if rechargeable or refillable devices will remain exempt from inclusion in the various vape laws.

We do know that these types of vapes are not easy to recycle. They are usually thrown away and end up in landfills where the batteries contained within can leak harmful waste. Waste such as battery acid, lithium and mercury can get into the soil environment.

Also, the millions of vape batteries thrown into household waste are at risk of causing fire. This includes bin lorries and sorting centers each year.

Last year, DEFRA estimates almost five million single use vapes were littered or thrown into general waste a week, which is a nearly fourfold increase on the year before.

In 2022 DEFRA said it found more than 40 tons of discarded vapes containing enough lithium to power 5,000 electric vehicles.

Disposable vapes such as the crystal pro max were 'extremely wasteful' and 'blighted our town and cities', the minister added as part of DEFRA minister Mary Creagh's role of reducing waste in the economy.

Disposables have "led to an absolute epidemic of nicotine addiction and a group of children... sleeping badly, getting very distracted, finding themselves having to fight really addictive habits," said pediatric respiratory consultant Dr Claire Hogg who spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live.

At first, she said her son had previously vaped and thought the ban was 'brilliant news' as she claimed that at 14, he was 'addicted to nicotine through false marketing'.

Buying disposable vapes in UK which often cost around £5, is cheaper than most refillable vape kits - which can cost as much as £8 to £12, especially when they aren't purchased from specialist retailers.

Ireland and Belgium have recently announced plans to ban all the products, joining New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, India and Brazil which have already imposed restrictions.

How dangerous is vaping?

Surge in vaping amongst non-smoking, young adult vapers is one of the biggest dangers.

Black market

The issue of a ban would is the potential 'fuel' of illegal sales, says John Dunne, director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association, who told BBC Radio 4's Today program.

"It's already a black market in the vaping products that the authorities can't keep up with, so now this is going to land right on their lap as well," he said.

DEFRA had also asked the government to introduce the licensing scheme for the retailers and the distributors of the products, including 'mandatory age verification processes.

From June 1ist 2025, the British government has plans to bring in legislation to outlaw single use vapes and gives retailers time to sell their stock. Basically, all the single use vapes will be covered, wherever they go in and come from.

When the ban comes into effect the department for health and social care said online shops and major retailing platforms would be expected use "online takedown procedures" to bring an end to illicit suppliers.

Deputy First Minister of Wales, Huw Irranca-Davies, told AFP that introducing bans on the same date across the nations would allow for 'high levels of compliance and a consistent approach to enforcement across the UK'.

While the measure is separate from government plans to stop smoking by banning the sale of cigarettes to those born after January 2009, trade has been slow to adjust to TV images forcing cigarette brands to change the colors of their packaging.

A bill to bring in that ban will be introduced to parliament before Christmas, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said on Monday.