Disposable vapes ban welcomed in St Helens Borough
A national ban on the sale and supply of disposable vapes is being welcomed in St Helens Borough, due to their harmful impact on the environment and young people.
Article date: 23 May 2025
From 1 June 2025, it will be illegal to sell, supply or possess for sale or supply any single-use or disposable vapes, including non-nicotine versions. This will apply to all retailers - including high street and online - as well as healthcare and stop smoking services.
From this date, any vapes legally on sale in Britain must be rechargeable, refillable, and have a coil that can be easily replaced. Any vape which does not meet these standards - for example a vape that is rechargeable but not refillable - will be illegal.
Councillor Trisha Long, St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, said: "We are fully supportive in St Helens Borough of the national ban on disposable vapes. It has become increasingly clear to all that they present a profoundly harmful impact on our environment and our young people."
Ahead of the ban St Helens Borough Council's Trading Standards team is urging local retailers to comply and residents to report non-compliance.
Cllr Long added: "The new law will be absolutely clear - it will be illegal to sell any single-use vape from 1 June. I'd urge anyone who suspects a retailer is breaching this ban to report the matter to us."
Retailers who continue to sell disposable vapes after the deadline will be breaking the law and could face civil sanctions, as well as criminal penalties.
Being enacted under environmental regulation, the main reason for the ban is the protection of the environment. Nearly five million disposable vapes were littered or discarded every week in 2024, according to Material Focus.
As well as being an eyesore and expensive to clean up, littered vapes introduce harmful chemicals into the soil, rivers and streams. They have even been responsible for starting fires in street sweepers in St Helens, presenting a real danger. Many of these vapes end up in landfill or an incinerator, where valuable materials are wasted instead of being recycled.
Just as concerning, the introduction of a new generation of disposable vapes in 2021 coincided with a significant increase in youth vaping, despite sale to under 18s being illegal.
Local data from a 2023 Trading Standards survey shows that just under half of 14-17-year-olds have tried a vape at some point before reaching their 18th birthday, while 10% use vapes regularly (more than once a week).
Youth vaping is a serious public health concern, since children's lungs and brains are still developing, making them more vulnerable to the negative effects and nicotine addiction.
Compounding this issue, illicit vapes - for example those containing more liquid or more nicotine content than is permitted - have made their way into high street stores and have even been sold to children, as evidenced by test purchasing operations with young Trading Standards volunteers. Over the last three years Trading Standards have seized over 14,000 illegal and non-compliant single use vapes in St Helens Borough, thanks in part to community vigilance.
Residents can report the sale of disposable vapes via the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 or by email to Trading Standards at tradingstandards@sthelens.gov.uk.
Nicotine vaping can be an effective tool for quitting smoking, but is not completely harmless and the long-term effects are not yet known. Children and non-smokers should never vape.
Find the facts and myths about vaping, plus advice on how to use vapes as a tool to quit smoking:
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