Single-use vapes (also known as disposable vapes) are an inefficient use of critical resources and are often discarded as litter or thrown into residual (non-recycled) waste. Littering spoils our communities, introduces harmful substances into the soil, rivers and streams, and causes harm to biodiversity.
When single-use vapes are thrown into black bins they often end up in landfill or are incinerated, which means critical resources are lost. They can also cause fires, which risks the safety of waste management workers, firefighters and the public. To stop this the Government has introduced a ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes from 1st June 2025.
This includes any shop or business that sells single-use vapes, such as a:
- convenience store
- market stall
- petrol station
- specialist vape shop
- supermarket
Definition of a single-use vape
A single-use or disposable vape is a product that’s neither designed nor intended to be re-used.
For a vape to be considered reuseable, it must be both:
- rechargeable
- refillable
A vape is not considered reuseable, if it is:
- rechargeable but not refillable
- refillable but not rechargeable
