Online marketplaces are now legally required to report all household electrical goods sold by non-UK suppliers under updated Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations.

The new rules, which passed in June as a Statutory Instrument and came into effect on 12 August 2025, also mean that platforms will now share the responsibility for funding recycling.

Their contribution will be phased in, with partial costs starting in 2026 and full costs applying from 2027.

Until now, UK retailers and manufacturers have carried the full cost of recycling discarded electronics.

Defra confirmed that the reforms will ensure that “manufacturers and importers do not unduly bear the cost burden of managing waste they did not create – making the system fairer for British businesses”.

Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh added: “We are committed to moving towards a circular economy in which we keep electricals from laptops to toasters in use for longer".

“Ensuring online marketplaces pay their share for managing the cost of the electrical waste they generate will increase recycling and level the playing field for UK-based retailers.”

Vapes Recognised As A New WEEE Category

The reforms also introduce a dedicated WEEE category for vapes, ensuring producers fund their collection and proper treatment.

Scott Butler, Executive Director at Material Focus, said: “We welcome the new vape category announced today, which provides a further opportunity to tighten up the environmental enforcement of vapes.

“By understanding how many vapes are being sold, Defra can set targets to ensure that vape producers make their fair contribution to the costs of recycling these products.”

This follows the single-use vape ban, which came into effect in June 2025, requiring all vapes on the UK market to be rechargeable and refillable.

Retailers are required to provide a take-back scheme for single-use products as part of the ban.

The UK-wide ban on single-use vapes is now less than two months away, with enforcement beginning on 1 June 2025.

The legislation, announced in October 2024, applies across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It will ban the sale of all single-use, disposable vapes - regardless of nicotine content - sold both in-store and online.

The ban aims to address growing concerns around environmental damage and youth vaping.

Public health minister Andrew Gwynne said: “Banning disposable vapes will not only protect the environment but importantly reduce the appeal of vapes to children and keep them out of the hands of vulnerable young people.”

The government estimates that nearly five million disposable vapes are thrown away or littered each week in the UK. These products, which often contain lithium-ion batteries, contribute to fire risks and pose challenges for waste facilities.

Under the new rules, reusable vapes will remain legal, provided they are both rechargeable and refillable. Devices with coils must allow for easy replacement by consumers, ensuring they meet sustainability standards.

---

Guidance on the vape ban

In January 2025, Defra issued guidance to help businesses comply with the upcoming restrictions.

Retailers must remove all unsold single-use vapes from sale by 1 June, store them securely off the shop floor or website, and arrange for their proper recycling.

The guidance also reinforces the legal requirement for distributors to offer a “take back” scheme for used vape products, even after the ban comes into effect.

Defra has also outlined the penalties for non-compliance.

In England, civil sanctions such as £200 fines will be issued for initial breaches. However, repeated offences could result in unlimited fines or up to two years in prison.

In Wales, similar penalties apply, while Scotland and Northern Ireland may impose fines of up to £5,000.

Retailers and distributors are reminded that the deadline of 1 June 2025 is fast approaching. The full guidance is available on the Defra website to support compliance and ensure a smooth transition away from single-use vaping products.

---

Support for the ban

The Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) has urged retailers to support the transition by educating consumers.

CEO Gillian Golden said: “As the single-use vape ban approaches, the transition to refillable and rechargeable devices presents an invaluable opportunity to go beyond recycling. Embracing these sustainable alternatives not only reduces waste but also sets a new standard for environmentally conscious vaping.”

Public support for the ban is strong, with 69% of respondents to a government consultation in February 2024 backing the proposal.

The measure is widely seen as a step towards a circular economy, promoting the reuse of valuable resources and protecting public health.

---

View our previous stories on the UK-wide single-use vape ban... "UK to Ban Single-Use Vapes from June 2025 [24.10.24]" and "Defra announced that it has banned the use of single-use vapes in the UK [01.02.24]".

The rise in vapes is partly down to the fact the latest survey included 16-17 year olds for the first time.

Disposable single-use vapes are piling up in the UK at an alarming rate, with new research from Material Focus revealing that the number of these discarded devices has skyrocketed from 1.3 million to almost five million each week, equating to eight vapes being thrown away every second.

Material Focus, an independent not-for-profit organization funded by the WEEE compliance fee, conducted this research in collaboration with YouGov, surveying UK adults, including 16-17-year-olds for the first time, to gauge the extent of single-use vape consumption and disposal in the country.

The study unearthed several significant findings, including:

• A monthly purchase of over 30 million single-use vapes by UK adults aged 16 and above, double the figure from Material Focus's 2022 research of adults aged 18 and older.
• A mere 17% of vape consumers recycling their single-use devices at shops or local recycling centers.
• The accumulation of nearly 3 million single-use vapes per month stashed away in UK households.
• A staggering 73% of UK vapers discarding their single-use vapes irresponsibly.

Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, expressed deep concern, saying: "Since our last research publication, the problem of single-use vapes has spiralled further out of control. Single-use vapes are a strong contender for being the most environmentally wasteful, damaging, and dangerous consumer product ever made." He criticized the lack of environmental compliance among producers and retailers, emphasizing that local authorities are now grappling with the consequences of managing the UK's fastest-growing and most perilous waste stream.

Material Focus has proposed a series of solutions to address this mounting crisis, including:

• Urgent and transparent voluntary action by the vape industry to establish a comprehensive and widely accessible take-back and recycling system, along with a robust public awareness campaign.
• The installation of more vape recycling points in stores, parks, public spaces, schools, and colleges.
• A mandate for all supermarkets, convenience stores, petrol stations, and specialist vape shops to accept old single-use vapes when customers purchase new ones.

Please click here to view our previous post on vapes, "vape association seeks to allay waste fear" dated 28/04/2023.