North Yorkshire traders urged to sell their stock as vape ban looms

From Sunday, June 1, it will be illegal to sell or supply disposable (single use) vapes across England, Scotland and Wales.

Trading Standards Officers from North Yorkshire Council are encouraging traders to sell off their stock of single use vapes.

They are also asking people who are using disposable vapes to quit smoking to prepare now by switching to a reusable device and seeking free stop smoking support from www.northyorks.gov.uk/stoppingsmoking

The ban, introduced under environmental legislation, is designed to cut down on single-use plastic waste and limit underage access to vapes. From June 1, all vapes sold must be rechargeable and refillable.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Greg White, said: “This is an important new law and we welcome it in North Yorkshire. It will mean that the thousands of single use vapes thrown away into a landfill or thrown away as litter every week will be off our streets. That can only be good for us all in terms of improving our local environment.”

Vaping remains one of the most effective tools to help smokers quit. Over half of people who successfully quit smoking in the past five years used a vape to support their quit attempt.

North Yorkshire Council director of public health, Louise Wallace, said: "This new law is an important step forward for both public health and the environment. It reduces waste and helps prevent children from getting hold of vapes.

"But we must be clear that vaping is a far less harmful alternative for adults trying to quit smoking. Reusable vapes are widely available, and our local stop smoking services offer expert advice and support to help people quit smoking for good.”

Humber and North Yorkshire Tobacco Control Centre for Excellence’ associated director, Scott Crosby, said: "Switching to a refillable device now could save you money within weeks. It is important to remember that tobacco—not vaping—is the real killer. Cigarette butts are the most littered item globally, and the poisons they contain, like arsenic and lead, pollute our soil, rivers, and seas, damaging our wildlife."

Meanwhile, residents in North Yorkshire are being urged to dispose of their used vapes responsibly. Materials used in single use vapes can be harmful to the environment and need to be disposed of separately.

Vape recycling bins have been installed at all county’s 20 household waste recycling centres.

Once collected at the recycling centres, they are transported to the recycling facility to be dismantled and the lithium-ion battery is removed for processing while the metals and plastics are recycled.

Lithium-ion batteries can cause fires if they are discarded in kerbside recycling or waste bins. Most fires in the waste collection and recycling industry are caused by these batteries.

NHS advice is clear - nicotine vaping is less harmful than smoking as well as one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking. Vaping is not completely risk free and children and non-smokers should never vape.

If you are a business that needs advice about the new law or someone who wants to report a shop selling single-use or other illegal vapes, contact the consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.