Councils join calls for ban on disposable e-cigarettes

20%  Of 11 to 18-year-olds have tried vaping

- Sarah Marsh

Up in smoke

Impact of rise in vaping

• 1.3m Single-use vapes thrown away each week in UK
• 700 Lithium battery fi res in bin lorries and recycling centres

Councils are joining paediatricians in calling for a ban on disposable vapes owing to the environmental damage they cause and the soaring number of young people using them.

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils in England and Wales, said urgent action was needed to save taxpayers' money - single-use e-cigarettes are costly to recycle - protect the planet and keep children safe.

With the EU proposing a ban from 2026 and France due to introduce one this December, there are concerns that more vapes could flood into the UK.

Single-use vapes, from brands such as Elf Bar and Lost Mary, have soared in popularity in recent years, and since 2021 the proportion of 11 to 18-year-olds vaping (7.6%) has been greater than that of smoking (3.6%). The latest survey for Action on Smoking and Health found 20.5% of children had tried vaping, up from 15.8% in 2022 and 13.9% before the first Covid lockdown.