Big puff vapes to cause significant environmental challenges: Material Focus

With 8.2 million vapes now thrown away, or recycled incorrectly, per week, the issue of disposable vapes is not going away, Material Focus has warned on Tuesday.

With a ban due in just six months (June 2025), the production of vapes is continuing to morph with more new products entering the market such as “big puff” which avoids the new regulations. Material Focus forecast that these big puff vapes and other new vapes are set to cause significant environmental challenges post the disposable ban next year.

The new vapes research, commissioned by Material Focus and conducted by Opinium, found that these new big puff style vapes are set to grow and are fuelling the  8.2 million vapes thrown away including big puff, single use and single-use pod, compared to 5 million single-use last year.

Big puff style vapes have already surged onto the UK market in just six months with 3 million of these types of vapes now being bought a week, with 63 per cent of puffs being taken on these vapes.

Big puff vapes can hold up to 6,000 puffs per vape, with single use vapes averaging 600. Coming in at a price competitive 0.19 pence per puff for a big puff, compared to 0.83 pence per puff for a single-use vape, it’s no surprise that their popularity is surging, particularly amongst young people who are more likely to buy these new style of vapes  – 48 per cent of 16 to 34 year olds compared to 36 per cent of 35 to 55 year olds.

With 3 million bought per week compared to 5.3 million single-use vapes, their popularity has soared in just six months, the non-profit has noted, adding that with this continued rise in vapes being thrown away, their environmental impact continues to increase.

“Without quick and extensive action, the threat of a vapocalypse remains and new big puff vape models are already contributing to an environmental nightmare,” Scott Butler, executive director, Material Focus, said.

“Vape producers are being infinitely creative with their products in order to avoid the forthcoming disposable vape ban. Whilst the current ban will take some of the most environmentally wasteful products off the market, we might need more flexible legislation to deal with the ongoing challenges of the new products surging onto the market.

“It’s good to see that more vape retailers are beginning to provide recycling facilities, and more people are recycling them. However this isn’t anywhere near enough to turn the tide.  The majority of vapers are either unaware of where to recycle their vapes or don’t have a good experience of recycling them. It should be as easy to recycle a vape as it is to buy one. We want more vapers demanding that where they buy them provide recycling points as it is a legal obligation for all those who sell vapes to provide this after all.

“Vapes, like any other electrical with a plug, battery or cable, should never be binned and always be recycled as a minimum. We need rapid growth in the number of accessible and visible vape recycling drop-off points. And we need proper retailer and producer financing of genuine recycling solutions to recover materials and manage fire risks. The UK needs more accessible recycling drop-off points in stores, in parks, in public spaces near offices, bars and pubs, and in schools, colleges and universities.”

More people are recycling their single-use vapes in store: 20 per cent this year compared to 8 per cent last year, Material Focus revealed. However, still many retailers do not comply with environmental regulations and haven’t put recycling drop-off points and systems in place. Much more readily available takeback options need to be in place, the organisation added.