Proposals to ban plastic disposable vapes

Some legislation limiting the sale and display of vaping products is already in place

Plans to ban the sale of disposable vapes containing plastic on the Isle of Man have been put forward by the government.

The Climate Change (Single Use Vaping Products) Regulations would control the sale, supply and distribution of products with a short product life.

A six-week consultation on the proposals has been launched by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defa) as part of a plan to limit single-use items where alternatives are available.

Defa Minister Clare Barber said banning the products was a "clear and obvious way that we can take responsibility in shaping an environment we can be proud of".

She said resources were "wasted" in the manufacture and disposal of the products, with "far too many" being "carelessly discarded".

Penalties

Under the proposals, businesses would be given six months to sell or use up current stock.

However, an exemption to the proposed regulations would be applied to inmates at the Isle of Man Prison as they are not allowed reusable vapes for safety reasons.

The draft laws would impact businesses and buyers and would be enforced by fines of up to £10,000 under the proposals.

Laws banning the sale of vaping products to those under the age of 18 came into effect in May, with additional measures restricting the display or advertising of vaping products in places on the island where children or teenagers are admitted brought in last month.

The UK government has committed to introduce a ban on disposable vapes, while the administrations in Scotland and Wales have confirmed they plan to follow suit.

The consultation on the proposed changes in the Isle of Man are available online until 11 November.