Jersey ministers looking at disposable vape ban

The deputies said if disposed of incorrectly the vapes could cause fires in bin lorries or at the Energy Recovery Facility

Two ministers have announced they want to move towards banning the sale of disposable vapes in Jersey.

The ministers for Infrastructure and for the Environment said they were looking at the move for both environmental and health-related reasons.

Deputies Tom Binet and Jonathan Renouf said the proposed ban would be subject to consultation with stakeholders.

The ban could be brought in by extending the Single Use Plastics Law.

This law prohibits the distribution of single-use plastic and paper bags in the island and was designed so other items could be added.

In a joint statement the deputies said as disposable vapes went into general waste it led to materials being destroyed rather than reused.

It said the vapes contain a plastic/glass/cardboard or metal case, a heating element (coil), a microprocessor, a lithium-ion battery and a container for the liquid.

The statement said although the separated parts could be recycled, it was a time-consuming, manual process and the vapes could cause fires in bin lorries or at the Energy Recovery Facility if not disposed of correctly, especially if damaged.

It said the move was being explored as other jurisdictions were also considering, or have already introduced, similar bans.