Latest news with #litter
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
UK bans single-use vapes to stem use by children and reduce harmful litter
A ban on disposable vapes came into force across the UK on Sunday as the British government aims to stem their use by children, reduce litter and prevent the leaking of harmful chemicals into the environment. The ban makes it illegal for any retailer – online or in-store – to sell vapes, whether they contain nicotine or not. They will still be able to sell reusable vapes. The crackdown follows the soaring use of disposable vapes in schools and a rising tide of rubbish as users dispose of the vapes. It is estimated that as many as 5 million disposable vapes are thrown in bins or littered every week across the UK , rather than being recycled. A number of countries are seeking to regulate the vape market, which has grown exponentially over the past decade or so. Australia outlawed the sale of vapes outside pharmacies last year in some of the world's toughest restrictions on electronic cigarettes, while Belgium became the first European country to ban the use of disposable vapes at the start of this year.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
The influencer whose tweet led to a ban on disposable vapes
There are not many times when a single social media post can trigger a snowball effect which leads to a significant change in the social media influencer Laura Young's actions did exactly that when she started noticing a litter problem while walking her dog in Dundee.'Less waste Laura' - as she calls herself online - said she was "sick of litter picking" disposable vapes and wanted to campaign against years on and her campaign has led to a UK-wide ban now coming into force. Laura realised her message had struck a chord when a TikTok video she created was viewed 10.5 million led to a prominent newspaper campaign and then calls from government officials requesting meetings with told BBC Scotland News: "If you look up disposable vapes, (mine) is the first (tweet) that comes up."Within five weeks it had made the headlines and of course everyone was showing where these vapes were." The year after Laura first raised the issue, the Scottish government commissioned an urgent report into the impact of single use vapes on the environment and on young revealed that 2.7 million vapes had been littered on Scotland's streets in a single year - about 10%t of the total report also found that 22% of all under-18s - about 78,000 people - were using vapes. But it was the environmental impact which concerned Laura the said: "They begin to fall apart. They get broken, they get damaged and the metal can pop tyres so it's a really big problem." In the same year that Laura first launched her campaign, it emerged that a fire which destroyed a recycling facility in Aberdeen had "most likely" been caused by a discarded devices contain lithium-ion batteries which, when damaged, can spontaneously blaze took just 10 seconds to take hold and the entire facility has had to be Scottish ban was first proposed in February 2024 and was due to be introduced last UK and Welsh governments then confirmed they would follow suit and the Scottish ban was delayed by two months to bring them all into line. Retailers have been increasingly providing recycling bins in shops so the devices can be disposed of Laura says she's probably collected thousands of littered vapes over the last few adds: "It's was fantastic to know that throughout the campaign we were really building up momentum. We had lots of councils support a ban, we had the Scottish government putting out reports and then, of course, we had the commitment to a says she's incredibly proud of what's been achieved but adds that the campaigning has also raised the issue of other disposable technologies and how damaging that is for the not sure what campaign she might start next but admits that she's received a very long list of suggestions from family and friends.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
U.K. ban on disposable vapes goes into effect
A ban on disposable vapes goes into effect across the U.K. on Sunday in a bid to protect children's health and tackle a 'throwaway' culture. 'For too long, single-use vapes have blighted our streets as litter and hooked our children on nicotine,' junior environment minister Mary Creagh said. She said the government was calling 'time on these nasty devices' -- a type of e-cigarette which are very popular with young people -- and banning sales of single-use vapes or their supply in a crackdown on UK corner shops and supermarkets. Those caught flouting the ban will face a £200 fine (US$269), while repeat offenders risk up to two years in prison. Young people and children in particular have been attracted to cheap and colourful disposable vapes, which have snazzy flavours such as mint, chocolate, mango or watermelon, since they were introduced in the UK in 2021. In 2024, nearly five million disposable vapes were thrown away each week, according to Material Focus, an independent UK-based non-profit. More than 40 tonnes of lithium, a key metal used in the technology industry, was discarded each year along with single-use vapes -- enough to power 5,000 electrical vehicles, the NGO said. Fire services have also warned about the risk of discarded vapes catching light among household rubbish. 'Every vape has potential to start a fire if incorrectly disposed of,' said Justin Greenaway, commercial manager at electronic waste processing company SWEEEP Kuusakoski. The new law, first proposed by the previous Conservative government, also aims to stem a rise in vaping. 'This new law is a step towards reducing vaping among children, while ensuring products are available to support people to quit smoking,' said Caroline Cerny, deputy chief executive for health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). A recent ASH survey said 11 per cent of adults vape, or about 5.6 million people, and 18 percent of 11 to 17 year olds -- about 980,000 under-18s. Among vapers, some 52 percent of young adults aged between 18 to 24 preferred single-use vapes. The long-term health risks of vaping remain unclear. E-cigarettes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful elements in tobacco smoke. But they do still contain highly addictive nicotine. The upcoming ban has already led to a fall in disposable vapes. According to ASH, the use of disposables by 18-24-year-old vapers fell from 52 percent in 2024 to 40 percent in 2025. Black market fears The UK ban follows similar European moves. Belgium and France became the first EU countries to ban sales of disposable vapes. Ireland is also preparing to introduce new restrictions. But critics have argued many users will simply switch to refillable or reusable vaping devices, which will limit the impact on nicotine consumption. And industry experts say the ban could lead to more illegal products entering the UK market. The bill 'only makes it illegal to sell disposable vapes -- it does not prohibit their use,' warned Dan Marchant, director of Vape Club, the UK's largest online vape retailer. 'We risk a surge of illegal and potentially dangerous items flooding the black market.'
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Litter warning after 50-year-old crisp packet find in Rotherham
A man who found crisp packets thought to be more than 50 years old buried in a hedge has urged people to remember that litter can take a lifetime to break Collett, 53, found the crisp bags near Redscope Primary School in Rotherham when he was picking up litter on 24 said he was shocked to find the packet of Smiths crisps advertised a promotion that ended on 28 March 1975 - a date before he had even started primary school."Any litter is always good to get off the street but the thought that I found such an old piece of rubbish, it was one of shock," Mr Collett said. Mr Collett, who founded volunteer group S61 Litter Pickers four years ago, said the age of the intact crisp packets was "scary"."Straight away, I took a photo of the crisp packet because I knew it was vintage," he said."You might think you're just dropping a crisp packet, but it's going to outlive you."He said he felt it was morally wrong to drop litter and urged people to consider the impact."Think about what you're doing," he said."We've only got one planet. Just think of the consequences." Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy warned that plastic waste could take a long time to break down."Sadly, finding packaging that is decades old is an all-too-familiar thing for our litter-picking volunteers," a spokesperson for the organisation said."Litter, once in the environment, can pollute it for decades or even centuries."Plastics, in particular, don't just 'disappear'. They may break up into smaller and smaller pieces over time but they will still be there, ending up as microplastics." Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
CTV News
21-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
The Ultimate Guide To Cat Litter Boxes: Mess-Free Solutions For Your Home
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. You love your cat. They're your companion, your family, your confidant. Everything about them is fantastic in your eyes—well, almost everything. I'm sure you don't love having to go and clean up their litter box only to find it's way messier than you expected. Even worse? You can smell that it needs changing from across the house. Unless you plan on teaching your cat to go outside or use the toilet, the litter box is your only option. So, why not make it as headache-free as possible? All you need to do is choose the right litter and litter box, and ensure that they work together to make your cat's bathroom experience that much cleaner. Here are a few of the best litter boxes you can get in Canada right now: And if you're looking for litter as well, check out these options: Disclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We'll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes.
