Vape ban fails to solve UK's rubbish crisis — and may be pushing former users back to cigarettes

A ban on disposable vapes has failed to solve Britain's growing rubbish crisis and may be pushing former vape users back to cigarettes, new research suggests.

A year after ministers outlawed single-use vapes in a bid to tackle plastic waste and curb youth vaping, studies suggest millions of vape products are still being thrown away every week, a thriving black market remains in operation, and some former disposable vape users are smoking more tobacco than before.

The findings raise fresh questions about whether the Government's flagship crackdown has delivered all the environmental and public health benefits promised when it came into force last June.

One survey of 6,000 UK adults found one in six people who previously used disposable vapes had either relapsed to smoking tobacco or started smoking more since the ban was introduced.

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The research, which involved a survey of 6,000 adults, found 16 per cent described themselves as regular smokers, compared with 15 per cent in December 2025 and 14 per cent in December 2024.

Industry experts say the survey, conducted by Opinium for vaping manufacturer ELFBAR, suggests the legislation may have disrupted quit attempts for smokers who had previously used single-use vapes.

Eve Peters, director of government affairs for ELFBAR, said: “Disruption to established product categories can have unintended consequences, including relapse for some smokers.”

The environmental picture also appears less successful than ministers had hoped.

According to estimates from recycling campaign group Material Focus, around 6.3 million vapes and vape pods are still being thrown away every week, part of more than 1.18 billion thrown away over the past four years, as users switch to rechargeables that are themselves often binned.

The organisation estimates more than 1.18 billion vaping products have been discarded over the past four years despite repeated campaigns encouraging recycling.

Although 78 per cent of vapers knew devices should not be disposed of in household rubbish, more than a quarter still admitted throwing away pods or devices in general waste bins.

Nearly half said they would be more likely to recycle if collection points were easier to access.

Meanwhile, the illegal vape trade appears to be flourishing despite the ban.

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Figures compiled from Freedom of Information requests found authorities seized around 1.3 million illicit vaping products over the past year, with an estimated street value of more than £10million. This was part of nearly 4.9 million devices taken across three years, worth an estimated £39 million.

More than 255,000 illegal disposable vapes were seized in the year after the ban came into force.

Industry estimates suggest the wider black market could now be worth around £300million a year.

The report also found Trading Standards inspections fell by five per cent over the year despite a £10million Government funding package designed to support enforcement activity.

The findings come ahead of a fresh Government crackdown on vaping.

From October, a new Vaping Products Duty will add £2.20 to every 10ml of vape liquid before VAT.

Critics fear higher prices could encourage more vapers to return to smoking tobacco.

Supporters of the disposable vape ban argue it has nevertheless achieved one of its main objectives by sharply reducing the use of throwaway devices.

According to YouGov polling commissioned by ASH, the proportion of 11 to 17-year-old vapers who mainly used disposable products fell from 42 per cent immediately before the ban to 13 per cent this year.

Among adult vapers, the equivalent figure fell from 24 per cent to eight per cent.

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