Urgent warning to vapers over 'ticking time bomb' after vape ban

A CHARITY HAS ISSUED A WARNING TO ANYONE THROWING AWAY A SINGLE-USE VAPE 14:42, 02 Jun 2025 A ban on disposable vapes is now in force across the UK – and a charity has issued a warning to

all vapers. Electrical Safety First has warned of a "ticking time bomb" of single-use smoking devices set to enter the waste system this week. The charity said the single-use vapes

risk widespread fires across the nation as a result of incorrect disposal of the devices' batteries. Disposable vapes were banned from the shelves of all shops from Sunday (June 1) in

a bid to slash their use among young people. The ban makes it illegal for any retailer – from corner shops to supermarkets – to sell vapes, and applies to both online and in-store sales

across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Retailers are still allowed to sell reusable vapes. Now, Electrical Safety First has urged vapers not to "bin the battery"

following the ban. Article continues below A survey for the charity of more than 1,000 UK adults found almost three in five vapers (58 per cent) plan on throwing their old vapes into their

household’s general waste or recycling bin, sparking fears of fires. It even found that 71 per cent of vapers admitted they are aware that improper disposal of vapes can cause fires.

Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, said: "This week we anticipate many disposable vapes will come to the end of their life following the ban.

"With reports of vapers having stockpiled these devices there is a risk that a large number of them could end up in the waste system if they are thrown out incorrectly in the household

bin. "These devices contain lithium-ion batteries that can explode or catch fire if damaged or crushed if they make their way into bin lorries, creating a ticking time bomb that puts

refuse workers and communities at serious risk. "The safest option is to recycle them properly. You can recycle them through retail take-back schemes or at a local recycling centre that

has dedicated facilities." If the lithium-ion batteries in disposable vapes are damaged, they can create explosive and highly toxic fires that are almost impossible to put out – a

process known as thermal runaway. Article continues below When general rubbish or recycling is collected, vapes are often crushed, compacted, punctured or soaked in liquids in the general

waste system. This can cause the batteries within them to overheat or ignite, leading to fires that put workers at risk, risking millions of pounds worth of damage and disruption to waste

services, the charity warns. Instead, it says to recycle single-use vapes through take-back services offered by many retailers. Some councils also have recycling points at household

recycling centres.