Leading plastics innovator recommends sustainable plastic option instead of impractical UK vape ban.

With the UK ban on disposable vapes now in motion, panic buyers have already stockpiled. Driven by mounting concerns over environmental harm, including plastic waste, the ban aims to address rarely recycled disposable vapes and promote reusable alternatives.

“Vaping has become an established alternative to tobacco, and is unlikely to disappear any time soon,” says Michael Laurier, CEO at Symphony Environmental Technologies.

“However, you can make vapes disappear after their useful life without banning them. Requiring a sustainable, oxo-biodegradable masterbatch for these plastic products would reduce their impact on the environment immensely.”

Laurier continues: “The legislation neglects the reason why most vapers have turned to the product: to escape smoking and its associated health risks. The ease of use is similar to buying a pack of cigarettes, meaning buyers can choose a better option when trying to quit.”

“Rather than imposing a blanket ban on the product, altering its manufacturing to incorporate a masterbatch such as d2w that will cause the plastic to biodegrade safely if it gets into the open environment helps solve the plastic issue.”

“Unlike traditional plastics, d2w plastics convert into biodegradable materials and are also recyclable with ordinary plastics. Adopting this for the casings and components of vape devices would significantly reduce the environmental impact of discarded products.”

Laurier concludes: “A more sustainable and circular vaping industry should be the future. Any policy changes must address the root cause of the environmental issue, which in this case is conventional plastic.”