Material Focus warns that new types of vapes are set to cause ‘significant environmental challenges’ after the 1 June disposable vape ban.
Ahead of the ban on disposable vapes being sold in the UK, Material Focus has warned that new types of vapes that are ‘designed by producers to avoid the new regulations’ are entering the market.
The new types of vapes include pod-based and ‘big puff’ products. Big puff vapes can hold up to 6,000 puffs per product, with single-use vapes averaging 600, Material Focus says.
8.2 million vapes are thrown away or recycled incorrectly every week, according to new research by Material Focus last year.
The research also found that 13.5 million vapes are being purchased per week – a 37% increase on the 9.9 million being brought per week in 2023.
Vape producers are being infinitely creative with their products in order to avoid the forthcoming disposable vape ban.
The research found that three million of these new types of vapes are now being brought per week, compared to 5.3 million single-use vapes.
Young people are also more likely to buy this new style of vape – 48% of 16 to 34-year-olds compared to 36% of 35 to 55-year-olds – the research found.
Ahead of the disposable vape ban, Material Focus analysed its research on vapes and identified that 1.2 billion disposable style vapes have been bought and three quarters of billion disposable style vapes have been binned or littered.
Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus, commented: “Vape producers are being infinitely creative with their products in order to avoid the forthcoming disposable vape ban.
“The majority of vapers are either unaware of where to recycle their vapes or don’t have a good experience of recycling them.
“It should be as easy to recycle a vape as it is to buy one. We want more vapers demanding that where they buy them provide recycling points. It is a legal obligation for all those who sell vapes to provide this after all.”
