Experts at SEA LIFE have expressed their support for the permanent banning of single use vapes, due to the serious harm they cause to marine life.
This comes as government ministers are set to ban single use vapes this week, following fears that the disposable nicotine products have prompted addiction amongst under-18s.
Disposable vapes have also been criticised for causing substantial damage to marine life and nature’s biodiversity, polluting our oceans with plastics and harmful chemicals.
SEA LIFE is committed to promote healthier marine environments therefore supporting the ban of single use vapes.
Joe Williams, Curator at SEA LIFE Brighton, said: “Single use vapes have become one of the main causes of pollution in our oceans. 1.3 million disposable vapes are thrown away each week in the UK, many of which make their way into our rivers and oceans.
“We’ve previously conducted beach cleans and collected single use vapes from the ocean floor. Without us stepping in, these vapes cause harmful waste materials such as mercury and cadmium to leach into our waterways, not to mention the plastic pollution.
“However, there’s only so much that we can do with our beach cleans. The enormous amount of discarded single use vapes means that sea animals are at risk of ingesting the plastic fragments and toxic chemicals, posing a risk to their health and disrupting the delicate balance of our ecosystems.
“Banning single use vapes would significantly reduce the amount of non-biodegradable waste entering rivers and marine environments, mitigating their environmental damage. It’s time that we recognise the severity of this issue and work towards a more circular economy where single use products, including vapes, are no longer the norm.”
For further information on SEA LIFE’s conservation efforts, visit the website here: https://www.visitsealife.com/conservation/
