In an early reaction to consultation from the government on policies around smoking and vaping, the Local Government Association has spoken of the waste management challenges disposal vapes bring.
Cllr David Fothergill, chairman of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board said: “We are pleased that the government has listened to councils and is bringing forward measures to restrict the availability of vapes to children.
“However, disposable vapes are inherently unsustainable products, meaning an outright ban remains the most effective solution to this problem.
“Single use vapes blight our streets as litter, are a hazard in our bin lorries, and are expensive and difficult to deal with in our recycling centres. Their colours, flavours and advertising are appealing to children and are a risk to the health of young people.”
This consultation asks questions on proposed action “to protect future generations from the harms of smoking, by creating the first smokefree generation”. It also asks about proposals to crack down on youth vaping and ensure the law is enforced.
The proposed actions are outlined in more detail in Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation.
Questions
The consultation asks questions in 3 areas for which new legislation would be needed, which are:
1. Creating a smokefree generation: consulting on the smokefree generation policy and its scope.
2. Tackling youth vaping: consulting on several options to ensure we take the most appropriate and impactful steps, building on England’s analysis of the youth vaping call for evidence.
3. Enforcement: consulting on the proposal to introduce new powers for local authorities in England and Wales to issue fixed penalty notices to enforce age of sale legislation of tobacco products and vapes.
WEEE
The document observes that there are measures already in place to ensure responsible production and disposal of waste electrical and electronic items through the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013 (WEEE) and obligations under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009.”
But it remarks that evidence suggests “compliance with these obligations is low, given the recent surge of businesses supplying disposable vapes. Both the WEEE and batteries regulations are being reviewed, with consultations planned.”
And reinforcing the potential for a ban on single-use vapes in favour of reusable ones, the consultation document says: “There are a range of policy options to tackle the environmental impact of single-use vapes, including improved product design, increasing access to responsible disposal options, public communication campaigns, as well as potential restrictions on single-use vapes.”
Consultation
The government consultation can be seen HERE.
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