18 environmental and health organizations, including the Green Alliance, Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health, Marine Conservation Society, and Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, have written to UK Environment Secretary Theresa Coffey and Health Secretary Steve Barclay demanding a ban on disposable e-cigarettes to prevent their "rapidly escalating threat" to public health and the environment.
Earlier this year, research conducted by Material Focus revealed that at least 1.3 million disposable electronic cigarettes are discarded every week, equating to two e-cigarettes being discarded every second and enough to fill 22 football pitches per year.
These groups argue that disposable e-cigarettes are "unnecessary electronic products" that contain disposable plastic, nicotine, and batteries, all of which can "harm the environment and wildlife if littered carelessly.
These products also contain lithium, which is a key material in achieving a net-zero transition, such as in the manufacturing of electric cars. Every year, the disposal of 10 tons of lithium from disposable e-cigarettes is equivalent to the amount needed for 1,200 electric cars. [3]
These organizations wrote that the use of disposable e-cigarettes by young people is "particularly worrisome." Since 2021, the proportion of young people aged 11 to 17 choosing disposable products has increased sevenfold.
Several health experts have not been able to help existing smokers quit. Instead, they are warning that disposable e-cigarettes could lead to a new generation becoming addicted to nicotine. New evidence suggests that the risk of chronic lung disease may also increase.
Banning disposable electronic cigarettes is unlikely to impact public health efforts to help people quit smoking or the government's pledge to achieve a smoke-free generation by 2030, as reusable e-cigarettes are readily available and easy to use.
The Green Alliance's resource policy leader, Libby Pick, stated that "We need to shift towards sustainable designs for durable and reusable products, rather than inventing new ways that harm wildlife and waste precious resources. Ministers must take swift action to ban the use of disposable e-cigarettes in order to protect young people and our environment from this entirely avoidable new threat.
Dr. Honey Smith, Director and Co-Chair of the National Leadership Group Greener Practice, stated: "As a general practitioner, I see the effects of smoking every day in my work and personal life. While many GPs are pleased to see e-cigarettes used as a short-term tool in smoking cessation, we don't know enough about e-cigarettes to determine their safety. Recent evidence suggests that using e-cigarettes can be just as harmful to blood vessels as smoking. Additionally, teenagers who use e-cigarettes are three to four times more likely to start smoking in the future. It is extremely concerning that products that specifically appeal to teenagers are widely used and encourage habits that could lead to long-term health problems.
Chris Tuckett, project director of the Marine Conservation Society, has expressed concern about the increasing amount of disposable electronic cigarettes being found on beaches across the UK. These products are made from a variety of materials, are rarely recycled, and pose a threat to marine life when they are littered. Tuckett advocates for the elimination of single-use products and fully supports the ban on disposable electronic cigarettes.
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Letter to the Minister of Environment and Health of Environmental and Health Organizations in November 2022.
The company Material Focus is reportedly disposing of 1 million disposable electronic cigarettes every week, causing a growing electronic waste challenge in the United Kingdom. This issue is expected to become even more pressing by July 2022.
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Smoking health campaign as young Britons turn to vapes in July 2022. A study has shown that the most popular electronic cigarette product used by young people in the UK is disposable e-cigarettes, which have increased from 7.7% in 2021 to 52.0%.
BBC News: E-cigarettes - Are they a risk-free choice? June 2022.
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