Muir welcomes ban on single use vapes

A ban on the sale and supply of single use vapes will come into force on 1 June 2025, Minister Muir said.

The Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affair Minister Andrew Muir has announced that, from 1 June 2025, selling and supplying single-use vapes will no longer be allowed in Northern Ireland.

The Scottish, Welsh and UK Governments have also introduced equivalent legislation, with the same implementation date of 1 June 2025.

It is estimated that as many as five million single use vapes are simply thrown away in residual bins or littered every week across the UK, rather than being recycled.

The Minister said: "The environmental damage created by the rise in the littering and incorrect disposal of used vapes, as well as their poor recyclability, is a key concern for me. Single use vape waste can have a devastating impact on our environment and biodiversity and I welcome this ban which will have better benefits for our environment and consequently for our general health and well-being.

"The ban follows strong support from the Northern Ireland public in response to the UK wide consultation on 'Creating a Smokefree Generation and Tackling Youth Vaping'. 90.4% of individual respondents from Northern Ireland agreed there should be restrictions on the sale and supply of single use vapes and 84.9% agreed that restrictions should take the form of a ban on their sale and supply."

The Minister concluded: "My Department, UK Government, Scottish and Welsh Governments have committed to separately developing legislation to ban single use vapes, with an agreed UK wide ban coming into operation from 1 June 2025.

"Alignment of approaches will reduce environmental harms associated with the incorrect disposal of single use vapes and will help provide clarity for businesses which are currently selling single use vaping products."

Businesses have six months to prepare for the change by selling any existing stock of single-use vapes. During this period, DAERA will work with retail organisations and other stakeholders to ensure those affected understand the ban and their new subsequent responsibilities.

UK-wide guidance for businesses is being prepared and is due to be published on DAERA's website later this month.

Notes to editors:

1. A single use vapes working group has been formed between Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. Each nation is progressing its own legislation and have agreed a joint coming into force date of 1 June 2025.
2. The legislation provides for criminal sanctions for failure to comply with the regulation, with a maximum penalty, on indictment, of up to two years imprisonment and a fine.
3. The response to the UK wide consultation on 'Creating a Smokefree Generation and Tackling Youth Vaping' is located at: Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping consultation: government response - GOV.UK
4. Follow DAERA on X formerly called Twitter and Facebook.
5. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office: [email protected] or telephone: 028 9016 3460.
6. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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