we called for change and the government listened – Inside track

Just over a year ago, Green Alliance co-ordinated a letter to the government from green groups and health professionals highlighting the rapidly escalating threat of disposable vapes to children’s health and the environment. We urged them to ban these devices soon because, at the time, we were alarmed at their massive proliferation and that so many 11-17 year olds were vaping. At that time, two devices a second – 1.3 million a year – were being thrown away in the UK, wasting enough lithium to power 1,200 electric vehicles.

Since then, reasons for alarm and the weight of evidence in favour of a ban have grown: there has been a three fold increase in vaping amongst the nation’s youth over the past three years. Health professionals have repeatedly warned that this is creating a whole new generation hooked on nicotine with unknown consequences for their health. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Children’s Health was amongst those who joined us calling for a complete ban. And there’s been a four fold increase in the number thrown away, up to at least five million a year (which is likely to be an underestimate as 7.7 million are bought each week and recycling rates are stubbornly low at below one per cent).

This is simply a good decision Having assessed the overwhelming evidence, today the government announced a complete ban on the supply and sale of disposable vapes across the UK. This is cause for celebration. You could argue, as they did on the Today programme, that it should have come much sooner, but I’m in no mood to nitpick. This is just good news for our children’s health as well as our environment: it means valuable lithium will no longer wind up as waste, and this critical raw material will be preserved for the uses it’s really needed for, like powering electric cars. It means an insidious form of litter will be banished after blighting our environment for too long with toxic plastic and nicotine. And it means the risk of fire from mishandled batteries will be minimised, to the relief of waste management businesses and local authorities.

The government should also be praised for its plans to bring in, at the same time, measures to make all forms of vaping less appealing to children. All the evidence suggests the disposable market has been particularly popular amongst children who never smoked before rather than adults who want to stop. This is in large part because young people are especially susceptible to the marketing, which has portrayed it as a lifestyle choice, rather than as a tool to quit smoking. So, it is also just good news that the government plans to restrict flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops so the reusable options still on the market can’t appeal to children.

I’ve worked on resources policy for nearly 20 years, attempting to persuade the government to address the root causes of overconsumption and all the damage it does to our environment, not to mention the need to preserve precious resources for future industries. I can count on one hand the number of times it has acted so decisively to correct a problem like this, without the need to say “Yes, but…” and point to what else should be done. But, today, I think the government has been spot on and there is nothing to complain about in this decision which has simply followed the science and done the right thing.

I’m far from alone. Health and environmental campaigners have been universal in their praise. In campaigning on this issue, it’s struck me that it is the arguments around children’s health and environmental health being so aligned and mutually reinforcing that has been particularly powerful and made the case unignorable.

Health and the environment are inextricably connected It’s far from the only area in which compelling evidence suggests rapid government action is needed to prevent both environmental and health problems. For instance, we know the nation’s energy inefficient homes pump unnecessary greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as well as cost the NHS billions, as families suffer untold stress from diseases, including pneumonia and heart attacks. The failure to curb tackle transport’s emissions means travel is the UK’s largest contributor to climate change and people’s overall health is suffering from the air pollution, with tens of thousands of excess death every year. Climate breakdown is a looming menace affecting our mental health too, again particularly amongst young people.

I could go on. But instead, on this day of celebration when the government used its power to make the right thing happen, I’ll stop here and and simply say to our political leaders: well done. Keep following the evidence.