Government warns of fines of up to £600 for vape users ahead of next week’s ban

The government has warned of soaring fines for people who improperly throw away their used e-cigarettes ahead of the UK ban on disposable vapes, which will come into force next week (June 1).

According to the UK Government's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) guidance, households will now be fined $£600 if they "breach their waste duty of care" from next week — a £200 increase from £400 currently.

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"Many people mistakenly believe that vapes can be tossed into their regular bin at home, but they're actually classed as WEEE, which has strict rules for disposal," the website reads

"When vapes are disposed of in household bins, this can lead to fires in bin trucks and at waste management sites, posing a huge risk to workers and the public."

According to web-based vape retailer Haypp, 82% of vape users intend to stockpile before the ban comes into place — with 37% planning to buy three months supply, and a further 28% planning to buy at least six months supply.

While The Vape Club reports of a "significant uplift" in sales of vapes across the last month: "with sales increasing by 50-100 per cent, in many cases."

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While fines for improper disposal will affect individual users, retailers who sell disposable vapes in spite of the ban from June 1 will be issued a £200 fine for first offence.

However if businesses or individuals are found to continue to attempt to sell disposable vapes they could face an "unlimited fine", a criminal record and lengthy jail time.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter