No penalties for vape companies flouting regulations
The UK Vaping Industry Association is demanding authorities come down harder on businesses that fail to comply with best practice.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed that no vape companies have been fined or prosecuted for failing to meet their Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment [WEEE] handling responsibilities.
According to a response from the Environment Agency, there are no civil sanction response options available, although in some cases an unlimited fine may be possible. However, no company that produces WEEE has been fined or prosecuted in the two years to May 2024.
The environmental regulations for retailers selling vape products falls under the Office for Product Safety and Standards, which does not hold information on the numbers of shops which have been fine or prosecuted for failing to meet obligations. The changing landscape, and recent market growth, were blamed for the lack of data.
Nevertheless, the office has been engaged in a number of education campaigns aimed at retailers. These have covered videos of take-back requirements which includes input from the Association of Convenience Stores, a briefing guide produced in collaboration with Material Focus, and ongoing advice to 23 national companies with large numbers of outlets.
“We were pleased to see the government include powers to introduce vape licensing in the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill and – as was suggested in the industry’s comprehensive framework – would like to see any scheme that is put forward include licensing as part of its eligibility criteria,’ said John Dunne, Director General of the UK Vaping Industry Association.
‘In addition, we continue to campaign for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency [MHRA] to have powers where they only grant vape product notifications for brands who can prove they are registered with one of the producer compliance schemes,’ he added.
In June 2025, the UK will introduce a ban on single use vapes, which could significantly reduce the scale of waste produced. However, organisations including the UK Vaping Industry Association have warned this risks a spike in illegal and illicit vaping products, with environmental and public health implications, adding a potential £645million per year to the black market.
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Image: CDC via Unsplash