18/06/2025 - Luton Trading Standards seizures of illegal single use vapes

Luton Trading Standards has launched a campaign to investigate and prosecute those who sell illicit tobacco and vaping producing products. It continues to clamp down on the sale of illegal vapes and tobacco and will continue to seize any single use vapes found for sale.

Traders are warned that all single use vapes should be removed from display and disposed of responsibly, and those who continue to sell them may face further action which could include prosecution.

In addition to the health impacts, safety issues and common sale to (and use by) children, single use vapes also have a significant impact on the environment. Despite discarded vapes being electrical waste (WEEE), most are simply littered or put in household bins and there have been a number of reported fires caused by lithium batteries.

All vape retailers must have a waste take back bin or similar arrangement in store for customers to return old vapes (including single use vapes), and a waste contract in place for the proper disposal of these.

Councillor Maria Lovell, Portfolio Holder for Trading Standards, said: “Our Trading Standards team continues to be fully committed to preventing the sale of illegal vapes in Luton. Following the ban on single use vapes we won’t hesitate to take action against those who continue to sell them and put our communities at risk.”

Anyone with information on premises and individuals selling and storing illicit tobacco, shisha and vape pens in Luton either from a shop, online, a domestic premises or a vehicle can report it in confidence.

If your local vape retailer doesn't have a vape take back bin, this can be reported to the council’s Investigations Hub team on 01582 510330 or [email protected].

Background Information

Single use vapes have:

• a battery you cannot recharge
• are not refillable

Reusable vapes have:

• a rechargeable battery
• a refillable container that holds the vaping e-liquid (such as a chamber, capsule, cartridge, pod or tank)
• a removable and replaceable coil (if the vape contains a coil)

Recycling vapes 

• Vapes are electrical items, whether they are single-use or reusable. This means they are covered by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.
• If you sell vapes (are a ‘distributor’), you must offer a ‘take back’ service. This means you must accept vapes and vape parts (such as used pods, coils or batteries) that customers return for recycling. This includes any single use vapes returned by customers after the ban began on 1 June 2025. 
• The Office for Product Safety and Standards may take action against you if you do not have a way to safely recycle vapes and vape parts.
• Unsafe storage of vapes or improper disposal is a fire risk. Vapes should be disposed of in vape bins only and regularly collected for recycling.