Latest news with #HazelCheeseman
Western Telegraph
5 days ago
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Warning over environmental ‘vapocalypse' despite ban on disposable versions
Shops and online retailers will be prohibited from selling single-use vapes from Sunday. The crackdown aims to curb their use among young people and reduce the litter and environmental impact. Disposable vapes are non-refillable, unable to be recharged, and are often thrown away with general waste in black bins or littered rather than being recycled. New big puff and pod vape models are already contributing to an environmental nightmare Scott Butler Green campaigners say vape producers have been developing new styles that are cheap but meet reusable criteria, meaning they essentially circumvent the ban. Material Focus, which advocates for circular economies, said increasingly popular 'big puff' vapes are cheaper per inhalation than disposable devices. The group also highlighted pod-based styles, some of which are rechargeable and refillable but remain cheap enough for consumers to have little incentive to reuse them. In many cases the products have a similar look, feel and price to disposable models, the campaigners said. Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, said: 'Without quick and extensive action, the threat of a 'vapocalypse' remains and new big puff and pod vape models are already contributing to an environmental nightmare.' He added that vape company design teams have been 'working their socks off to get new legal models on to the market' while the regulatory work was being carried out. 'To most users of these vapes, and shopkeepers even, they may not notice any difference in the old disposable vapes versus the new re-useable ones,' he said. (The) Government cannot expect leopards to change their spots Hazel Cheeseman Mr Butler said that while the ban will take some of the most environmentally wasteful products off the market, the UK may need more flexible legislation to tackle challenges around new models and waste. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said the incoming regulation on its own 'may be insufficient'. '(The) Government cannot expect leopards to change their spots,' she said. 'If they want a vaping market with products that have minimal impact on the environment, do not appeal to teens and are safe and effective to help adult smokers quit, then further regulations are needed.' Asked on Friday whether the legislation would be enough to stop vape producers flooding the market with similar products, nature minister Mary Creagh said: 'Well let's bring in the ban first. That's what I would say.' Ms Creagh said the tobacco and vapes Bill currently progressing through Parliament will look at further restrictions on vape sales and use, as she spoke to the PA news agency ahead of a visit to Sweeop Kuusakoski's vape processing facility in Sittingbourne, Kent. 'I'm confident that my colleagues in the Department of Health will not hesitate to use those powers should what we're doing this weekend not achieve the goals,' she said. Mary Creagh (Lauren Hurley/PA) 'But I'm confident that it is already sparking a conversation among young people … getting them to ask the questions, getting them to understand that there's no such place as 'away' and that these are really difficult to recycle.' She added that most big puff vapes on the market do not have replaceable coils so they are within the scope of the ban. The Government is considering further ways to drive up levels of separately collected electrical waste including vapes as part of reforms to waste electrical and electronic equipment regulations. Under current rules, vape producers already have a legal responsibility to finance their collection for recycling. Vapes contain valuable and critical materials such as lithium and copper that are regularly binned in household waste. If littered, they can also cause fires and other damaging or toxic impacts on the environment as well as wildlife. To help drive up recycling rates, Material Focus is calling for retailers to make more collection points available as well as the launch of a major communications campaign to drive public awareness about recycling the devices. With businesses which sell vapes legally obliged to provide recycling collections, awareness of this remains limited and needs to be better communicated Claire Shrewsbury Mr Butler said: 'The majority of vapers are either unaware of where to recycle their vapes or don't have a good experience of recycling them.' John Dunne, director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), said: 'This needs joined-up action from across the waste chain and more effort needs to be done to provide consumers with disposal points at the point of use and not just point of sale.' He said that while the UKVIA works to educate consumers on sustainable vape use and recycling initiatives 'more needs to be done'. 'We would encourage the Government to launch a national consumer education which includes responsible disposal of vapes, why vaping is much less harmful than smoking, and warning of the dangers of buying non-compliant products from the black market or other irregular sellers.' Claire Shrewsbury, director of insights and innovation at the Wrap charity, said single-use vapes have been a 'huge environmental issue'. 'This ban will help remove disposable vapes while giving people a reusable option,' she added. 'And with businesses which sell vapes legally obliged to provide recycling collections, awareness of this remains limited and needs to be better communicated.'
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Disposable vapes ban unlikely to reduce appeal, says campaigner
The ban on single-use vapes is unlikely to reduce the appeal of e-cigarettes to teenagers because re-usable models are so similar to disposables, the head of a campaign group has vapes will be banned in the UK from Sunday in an effort to curb youth vaping rates and reduce electronic Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), said new reusable vapes are "very similar" to single-use vapes, meaning it is "unlikely [the ban] will have that much impact on the appeal of products". Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said the government was "taking action and banning single use vapes to reduce waste and environmental damage". The government has previously said the ban would "reduce the appeal of vapes to children".A quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds have tried vaping and nearly 1 in 10 vape often, according to NHS research from Cheeseman welcomed the legislation as a step towards tougher regulations on vaping products, but said stronger action will be needed to make vaping less appealing to young people who have never smoked. "Teenagers weren't drawn to these products because you could throw them away," she told BBC Breakfast. "They were drawn to them because they were brightly coloured, because they were cheap, and they were really, really available. All of those things will still be true on Sunday."Some reusable vapes have "identical" packaging to their single-use counterparts, are sold at the same price, and give customers little information about how to refill them, she said."The manufacturers are not making it easy for people to change their behaviour."The government's Tobacco and Vapes Bill, a separate piece of legislation, will give ministers the power to take action that "probably will reduce the appeal of these products to teenagers", she said. These actions include regulating the packaging and design of vape products, as well as restricting is substantially less harmful than smoking cigarettes, but it has not been around for long enough for its long-term risks to be known, according to the of this, it is only recommended as a method to help adult smokers quit. 'Big environmental burden' Despite her concerns about its effect on teen uptake, Ms Cheeseman said the disposables ban was "important regulation" that will help ease the "big environmental burden" of five million single-use vapes were thrown away each week in 2023, according to the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra).As well as lithium-ion batteries, vapes contain circuit boards, which can leak toxic compounds if not disposed of properly.A switch to reusable vapes, which can be recharged and refilled with e-liquid, would in theory allow users to keep e-cigarettes for longer without creating some have raised concerns over whether the ban will have this Pike, lead officer for tobacco and vaping at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said reusable vapes costing the same as disposables "is a worry"."It's a real worry that people will continue to use them as single-use disposable and therefore it won't help limit the damage to the environment," she told BBC Radio 4's Today added that there is a "cost benefit" to reusing and recharging a vape, instead of buying a new one, so she hopes fewer vapes will be thrown away. "But it is a potential danger," she Dunne, director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association, said the ban was "ill-thought out".Changing regulations to allow vapes to have larger tank sizes would have been "more sensible", he told the Today programme, as this would have increased prices from "around the £5 range" to up to £10 or £ ban on disposable vapes was first announced under the previous Conservative confirmed it would keep the legislation in October last year, with Defra minister Creagh saying disposable vapes were "extremely wasteful and blight our towns and cities".The government has also previously said banning disposables would "reduce the appeal of vapes to children and keep them out of the hands of vulnerable young people".
The Independent
26-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Smoke-free nation will ‘boost jobs and the economy'
Creating a smoke-free nation could lead to a 'significant' boost to the British economy and lead to tens of thousands of jobs, according to a report. Experts examined what could happen if smokers spent their money on goods and services other than tobacco. The authors of the new report, by Landman Economics on behalf of the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), said there is almost no tobacco production in the UK and very few other jobs which rely on the tobacco industry. This means when people buy something other than tobacco, it stimulates more growth in the economy than if they continued to purchase tobacco, they said. The authors point out most products and services purchased create jobs through production, manufacturing or providing services. The report suggests when people spend their cash elsewhere it could potentially generate up to 135,000 full-time equivalent jobs. And it could increase UK economic output by almost £10 billion per year, the authors said. 'Reducing smoking prevalence in the UK to zero would deliver significant economic benefits,' they conclude. Author of the report Howard Reed, from Landman Economics, said: 'Few would consider reducing smoking as having a direct impact on the country's growth strategy but plainly this analysis shows that reducing consumption of tobacco can have major benefits to society beyond improving health. 'What is more, switching spending from tobacco can have a very rapid impact on jobs, whereas some of the health benefits can take many years to be seen.' The report states: 'It is forecast that achieving a smokefree UK – in which smoking prevalence in the population was reduced to zero – would increase UK economic output (measured using Gross Value Added) by just under £10 billion per year, and increase employment by just over 135,000 full-time equivalent jobs.' The report has been published as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill returns to the Commons for its final stages. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of ASH, said: 'Today MPs will take a historic step when they vote in support of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, and they should do so in the knowledge of the many benefits it will gift future generations. 'The phased-out sale of tobacco will unlock potential for the next generation, not only by keeping them healthy but also ensuring there are more jobs and a healthier economy.' If the Tobacco and Vapes Bill becomes law, anyone born after January 1 2009 will be prevented from legally smoking by gradually raising the age at which tobacco can be bought. The Bill also includes a total ban on vape advertising and sponsorship, including displays seen by children and young people such as on buses, in cinemas and in shop windows, bringing them in line with tobacco restrictions. Disposable vapes will be banned from June under separate environmental legislation. Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Asthma and Lung UK, said: 'The passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill through its final stage in the House of Commons today is a vital step in our world-leading journey towards a smoke-free future for the UK. 'This legislation is the most important health change in decades, protecting future generations from a deadly addiction, which has devastated so many lives.' Dr Ian Walker, Cancer Research UK's executive director of policy and information, said: 'Now is the time to take action and tackle the biggest killer in the UK. 'Voting for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a vote to protect the health of the nation. I urge all MPs to put themselves on the right side of history – supporting this world-leading legislation will help to create the first ever smokefree generation.' Public health minister Ashley Dalton said: 'Creating a smoke-free UK isn't just a public health priority—it's a major economic opportunity. 'Smoking costs the country over £21 billion a year, including £18 billion in lost productivity. Our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will phase out the sale of tobacco products, putting us on track for a smoke-free UK.' It comes as a poll for smokers' group Forest found that 39% support a generational ban and 24% would back keeping the legal age of sale at 18. Commenting on the poll of 2,000 adults conducted by Yonder Consulting, Simon Clark, director of Forest, said: 'Creeping prohibition won't stop young people smoking, it will simply drive the sale of tobacco into the hands of criminal gangs.'
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Smoke-free nation will ‘boost jobs and the economy'
Creating a smoke-free nation could lead to a 'significant' boost to the British economy and lead to tens of thousands of jobs, according to a report. Experts examined what could happen if smokers spent their money on goods and services other than tobacco. The authors of the new report, by Landman Economics on behalf of the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), said there is almost no tobacco production in the UK and very few other jobs which rely on the tobacco industry. This means when people buy something other than tobacco, it stimulates more growth in the economy than if they continued to purchase tobacco, they said. The authors point out most products and services purchased create jobs through production, manufacturing or providing services. The report suggests when people spend their cash elsewhere it could potentially generate up to 135,000 full-time equivalent jobs. And it could increase UK economic output by almost £10 billion per year, the authors said. 'Reducing smoking prevalence in the UK to zero would deliver significant economic benefits,' they conclude. Author of the report Howard Reed, from Landman Economics, said: 'Few would consider reducing smoking as having a direct impact on the country's growth strategy but plainly this analysis shows that reducing consumption of tobacco can have major benefits to society beyond improving health. 'What is more, switching spending from tobacco can have a very rapid impact on jobs, whereas some of the health benefits can take many years to be seen.' The report states: 'It is forecast that achieving a smokefree UK – in which smoking prevalence in the population was reduced to zero – would increase UK economic output (measured using Gross Value Added) by just under £10 billion per year, and increase employment by just over 135,000 full-time equivalent jobs.' The report has been published as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill returns to the Commons for its final stages. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of ASH, said: 'Today MPs will take a historic step when they vote in support of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, and they should do so in the knowledge of the many benefits it will gift future generations. 'The phased-out sale of tobacco will unlock potential for the next generation, not only by keeping them healthy but also ensuring there are more jobs and a healthier economy.' If the Tobacco and Vapes Bill becomes law, anyone born after January 1 2009 will be prevented from legally smoking by gradually raising the age at which tobacco can be bought. The Bill also includes a total ban on vape advertising and sponsorship, including displays seen by children and young people such as on buses, in cinemas and in shop windows, bringing them in line with tobacco restrictions. Disposable vapes will be banned from June under separate environmental legislation. Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Asthma and Lung UK, said: 'The passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill through its final stage in the House of Commons today is a vital step in our world-leading journey towards a smoke-free future for the UK. 'This legislation is the most important health change in decades, protecting future generations from a deadly addiction, which has devastated so many lives.' Dr Ian Walker, Cancer Research UK's executive director of policy and information, said: 'Now is the time to take action and tackle the biggest killer in the UK. 'Voting for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a vote to protect the health of the nation. I urge all MPs to put themselves on the right side of history – supporting this world-leading legislation will help to create the first ever smokefree generation.' Public health minister Ashley Dalton said: 'Creating a smoke-free UK isn't just a public health priority—it's a major economic opportunity. 'Smoking costs the country over £21 billion a year, including £18 billion in lost productivity. Our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will phase out the sale of tobacco products, putting us on track for a smoke-free UK.' It comes as a poll for smokers' group Forest found that 39% support a generational ban and 24% would back keeping the legal age of sale at 18. Commenting on the poll of 2,000 adults conducted by Yonder Consulting, Simon Clark, director of Forest, said: 'Creeping prohibition won't stop young people smoking, it will simply drive the sale of tobacco into the hands of criminal gangs.'
