Business owners and consumers are being reminded of the upcoming ban on the sale of single use vapes.
From Sunday 1 June 2025 legislation comes into force meaning it will be illegal to sell, supply and purchase disposable vapes.
To continue to be sold, vape products must be reusable, meaning they:
- have a battery you can recharge
- can be refilled with vape liquid
- have a replaceable coil
Research by Material Focus found an estimated 8.2 million vapes are thrown away or littered every week in the UK, the equivalent of 13 each second.
As well as causing environmental challenges, firefighters in Lincolnshire have long warned of the dangers of people binning disposable vapes in bins and bags, where their batteries can ignite and cause fires.
In the past year alone, more than 70 fires were started by wrongfully discarded electronics and batteries at the processing plant near Grantham, where the county’s recycling is taken.
Officers from Lincolnshire Trading Standards have written to more than 500 retailers to further raise awareness of the new regulations among local businesses.
Andy Wright, principal trading standards officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said:
“This ban will bring important environmental and health benefits to Lincolnshire. Disposable vapes often end up littering our streets, or just as harmfully, get thrown away in general waste collections, where they have caused fires and put communities at risk.
“Worryingly, these vapes, with their eye-catching branding, also often end up in the hands of young people, and can be a gateway to nicotine addiction.
“Many businesses have already acted to remove single use vapes and I’d urge retailers to study the guidance to ensure they are properly prepared."
Trading Standards Officers will enforce the ban, with powers to seize non-compliant stock and issue fines.
Any business which continues to possess, supply and sell the disposable vapes could face an unlimited fine, a prison sentence of up to two years, or both.
Full guidance is available at: www.gov.uk/guidance/single-use-vapes-ban
For more advice about the ban, please email: tradingstandards@lincolnshire.gov.uk.