Behind the scenes of the Ban Disposable Vapes campaign

When did you first become aware of the disposable vape problem?

I first noticed the problem when I lived in Glasgow in September last year. I was out walking my dog and came across what I now know is a disposable vape. I picked it up like any other piece of litter and went on with my day. But then I kept finding them everywhere and after a few weeks, I looked into what these devices were, and why I was seeing so many of them.

That led me down the rabbit hole where I discovered that they were single-use electronic devices being sold as 'disposable', completely avoiding any attempt to be sustainable. Inside each is a lithium ion battery, which is obviously extremely dangerous to have lying around on the street or ending up in the waterways!

What inspired you to start the #BanDisposableVapes campaign?

I wouldn’t say I was inspired by anything apart from feeling like I needed to speak up about it, since nobody else seemed to be. When I started finding these vapes everywhere and asking what they were, I couldn’t find anyone else talking about them - there was no research, petitions, or organisations focussing on the problem.

So, that left me with the decision of whether to be the one to start talking. That's what led me to reach out to elected representatives in my area and look for others with expertise in the field to help shape the campaign. Now we have a growing coalition of people from environment and health sectors working together to shine a light on these devices and the dangers they pose.

Your campaign has been leading to change, what progress or win are you most proud of?

That was the first domino to fall, and since then we’ve had eighteen other councils join the campaign, with many more lined up to discuss a potential ban at their respective meetings. This means we’re turning up the dial in Scotland, and hopefully adding pressure to the rest of the UK to follow suit.

How did you become interested in the campaign?

Almost everyone in Scotland has found disposable vapes littered in their local area, which is shocking when you consider the battery and other metals in them which are simply being discarded into the environment.

It was clear from the outset that we had a large-scale environmental issue on our hands, and something had to be done to tackle it.

What inspired you to volunteer your policy skills to push for change in Scotland?

I studied environmental law at Edinburgh University and have written papers on the WEEE Regulations, which are a set of laws implemented to address the proper disposal and recycling of electronic waste by requiring manufacturers and distributors to take responsibility for the safe treatment and recycling of their products.

As these regulations play a crucial role in governing the proper disposal of items such as disposable vapes, I knew I could use my knowledge to help with the Ban Disposable Vapes campaign and call for change. But my biggest inspiration to get involved is the resilience and dedication of Laura Young.

She’s grown a phenomenal interest in the environmental issues of disposable e-cigarettes, and since the briefing we drafted in December, it’s incredible how much political discussion we’ve seen on the issue.

I’m delighted I helped make a difference and contributed to this campaign through my volunteering with the Marine Conservation Society.

What change would you like to see happening in Scotland?

Undoubtedly, I’d like to see the Scottish Government impose a ban on selling and manufacturing disposable vapes.

But in the meantime, while they’re still on sale in Scotland, there needs to be greater enforcement of the existing WEEE Regulations so retailers take back used disposable e-cigarettes and recycle them properly.