‘Great news for wildlife’ as Senedd votes to ban single-use vapes

The RSPCA has been warning about the dangers they pose to animals

RSPCA Cymru has welcomed a forthcoming ban on single-use vapes in Wales – describing the new legislation as “great news for wildlife”.

On Tuesday (11 December), Senedd Members voted in favour of the Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Wales) Regulations 2024, which will prohibit the supply of single-use vapes in Wales.

The Regulations will come into force on 1 June 2025. Now, the Welsh Government will work closely with the UK Government and other devolved administrations for bans across all nations to successfully commence at the same time.

In October, the UK Government announced a ban on disposable vapes in England – while Scotland will also see a ban enforced in 2025.

Disposable vapes and their impact on animals has been a growing concern for the charity’s officers on the frontline. Over the past four years, almost 13,000 calls about animals affected by litter have been made to the charity’s emergency line across England and Wales, and it is believed vapes have been contributing to the problem.

A survey from the RSPCA – as part of its #VexedAboutVapes campaign – showed 94% of respondents supported a ban on disposable vapes.

RSPCA Head of Public Affairs David Bowles said: “Discarded disposable vapes pose a threat to the environment and animals – so this news marks a great day for Welsh wildlife.

“The infrastructure for recycling these vapes just isn’t widely available – and too many single-use vapes are simply being tossed away in our communities, putting animals needlessly at risk right across Wales.

“Animals could be in danger by ingesting liquid from discarded, disposable vapes; while strewn devices can also impact habitats. Dealing with this is positive for the environment and for animal welfare, and we look forward to seeing this ban introduced as soon as possible.”

More information on the charity’s #VexedAboutVapes campaign can be found online.