The single-use vapes ban prevents the supply, or offer to supply, single-use vape products from 1 June 2025.
Contents
The law aims to prevent environmental damage caused by the production and incorrect disposal of these products.
Overview
The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Wales) Regulations 2024 (“the Regulations”) makes it a criminal offence to supply or offer to supply (including for free) single-use vape products to consumers in Wales.
The ban started on 1 June 2025.. Businesses can no longer supply, or offer to supply, single-use vape products. This includes single-use vapes that do or do not contain nicotine.
Reusable vapes remain legal to sell.
For more information on the Regulations and the documents which supported its development see:
Who is affected?
The offence of supplying a prohibited single-use vape product can be committed by a person if they:
- supply a single-use vape.
- offer to supply a single-use vape; or
- have a single-use vape in their possession for supply.
What should businesses do?
Businesses must:
- Not sell single-use vape products to customers or other businesses.
- Not buy single-use vape products from wholesalers.
Businesses who still have banned products should speak to suppliers or existing disposal companies about how to recycle them safely and legally.
Failing to recycle single-use vape stocks will put your business at risk of commercial loss and legal enforcement action.
How to recycle vapes safely
Vapes cannot go into household waste and must be disposed of safely at household recycling centres. This is due to the risk of catching fire, and mixed materials including batteries, metal and plastic.
If you are a retailer, you can find a recycler on the Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) public registers [GOV.UK]
If you use vapes, find your nearest recycling point on the Recycle Your Electricals website.
Why we introduced this law
These Regulations aim to reduce the environmental harm caused by the production and incorrect disposal of single-use vapes.
This is part of a wider commitment to:
- encourage wider and more sustainable behaviour change around the consumption of single-use products
- tackle the throw-away culture.
- encourage a shift towards reusable alternatives.
Help for businesses
UK Government guidance for businesses [GOV.UK] is available. This guidance covers Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Support and advice
If you require further support or advice on the ban, please contact us:
E-mail: leq@gov.wales
Post:
Local Environment Quality Division
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
Resources
Information about the ban is available in different languages on our Media Toolkit page.