The sale of disposable vapes will be banned in England and Wales from June next year, the government has confirmed. Ministers in England said the move, first announced in January by the previous government but not enacted before the general election, is intended to protect children’s health and prevent environmental damage. Vaping industry leaders have warned the move could fuel a rise in illegal sales of the products.

The number of people who vape without ever having smoked has also increased considerably over recent years, driven mostly by young adults. It is illegal to sell any vape to anyone under 18, but disposable vapes – often sold in smaller, more colourful packaging than refillable ones – are a “key driver behind the alarming rise in youth vaping”, the previous government said when it first set out its plan.

The products are also difficult to recycle and typically end up in landfill, where their batteries can leak harmful waste like battery acid, lithium, and mercury into the environment, the government said.

See also: Children buy spice-laced vapes online rather than from ‘sketchy’ people, MP says