Vapes produce very complex waste, as they have plastic, metal, batteries, and other electronic parts all combined together, which means disposable vapes cannot be adequately reused or recycled – they are guaranteed to produce this kind of waste on a regular basis.
The market has boomed without adequate regulation or enforcement and so disposable vapes have caused a huge increase in litter which cannot be disposed of safely.
Scottish Labour believes that disposable vapes should be banned in the Circular Economy Bill, and my colleague, Mercedes Villalba MSP, has done a lot of work on this topic, particularly with Scottish councils who are seeking a local ban.
More broadly, vaping should be a stepping stone in striving towards a smoke-free Scotland, rather than being used as a permanent alternative to tobacco. Scottish Labour would ban vapes from being branded and advertised to appeal to children.