Disposable vapes ban will ease the 'avalanche of litter' problem

ISPOSABLE vapes are banned from the shelves of all shops from Sunday in a bid to cut their use among young people as well as the “avalanche” of litter they create.

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The crackdown on the devices, also known as single-use vapes, makes it illegal for any retailer - ranging from corner shops to supermarkets - to sell them.

The ban applies to both online and in-store sales across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and all disposable vapes whether or not they contain nicotine.

Retailers are still allowed to sell reusable vapes.

It follows the soaring use of disposable vapes in schools and a flood of plastic rubbish from the discarding of the devices.

Disposable vapes are non-refillable and unable to be recharged, and are typically thrown away with general waste in black bins or littered rather than recycled.

Even when they are recycled, they need to be taken apart by hand, while their batteries are a fire risk to recycling facilities and can leak harmful chemicals into the environment.