A BAN on the sale of disposable vapes has been put forward by the government and could be in force by the middle of 2025.
Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan yesterday lodged a proposition, due to be debated by the States Assembly in December, to extend the Island’s existing legislation around single-use plastics to include such vapes.
The move comes in response to a rapid increase in their use and popularity, particularly among young Islanders, with Public Health statistics revealing that 96% of local children and young people who vape opt for single-use vapes.
Parents and carers have also indicated support for such a move, with almost 90% of those taking part in a government consultation saying they were in favour of a ban.
Mr Jehan said: “Single-use vapes are both environmentally unsustainable and pose significant disposal challenges.
“This legislation will protect our community by reducing waste, encouraging more sustainable habits and safeguarding our Island’s environmental future.”
In the report accompanying the minister’s proposition, it is stated that single-use vapes “present a significant environmental concern due to their short lifespan and resource-intensive production, which involves metals, plastics and lithium batteries”.
The report adds that “disposable single-use vapes are challenging to recycle, and improper disposal poses fire risks and harms the local environment”.
If approved by States Members at a sitting scheduled for the second week of December, it is expected that a six-month transition period will begin.
During that time, the government says there will be a publicity drive, including media advertising, social-media posts and roadside banners.
The Single Use Plastics Law came into force in July 2022, banning the sale of single-use plastic bags and some types of paper bags.
The proportion of children experimenting with vaping grew by 50% from 2022 to 2023, from one in 13 to one in nine.
UK pressure group Materials Focus has estimated that 73% of UK vapers throw away single-use devices as general rubbish, while 3% (and 8% of 16-18-year-olds) drop their used single-use vapes on the ground. The group has also calculated that the number of single-use vapes purchased by UK adults in 2022 equated to 5,000 electric-vehicle-batteries worth of lithium being thrown away per year.