G/TBT/N/GBR/82  
10 April 2024  
(24-3023) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED KINGDOM  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
UK TBT Enquiry Point  
Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations  
Department for Business and Trade  
Old Admiralty Building  
London  
SW1A 2DY  
tbtenquiriesuk@businessandtrade.gov.uk  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  HS 24.04 
Products containing tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, nicotine, or tobacco or nicotine 
substitutes, intended for inh alation without combustion; other nicotine containing 
products intended for the intake of nicotine into the human body – products intended for 
inhalation without combustion.  
• Nicotine -containing disposable electronic cigarettes (HS 2404.12 - Other, 
containing nicotine)  
• Non-nicotine containing disposable electronic cigarettes (HS 2404.19 – Other)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  The 
Environmental Protection (Single -use Vapes) (England) Regulations 2024; (16 page(s),  
in English)  
6. Description of content:  These regulations will introduce a ban on the sale and supply 
of single -use electronic cigarettes in England.  
These regulations define single -use electronic cigarettes as devices that:  
• are not rechargeable, not refi llable or are neither rechargeable nor refillable, and  
• vaporise substances for the purpose of inhalation through a mouthpiece.  
The restriction will not apply to single -use electronic cigarettes that:  
• are refillable by means of a refill container, or tank or single -use cartridge, and  G/TBT/N/GBR/82  
 
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  • are any of the above and rechargeable.  
Breach of these prohibitions will be an offence under the regulations. The regulations 
provide for fixed monetary penalties, compliance notices and stop notices as well as non -
complia nce penalties. Criminal sanctions will also be provided for where an enforcement 
undertaking has not been complied with.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  The proposed regulations prohibit or restrict th e supply of single -use vaping 
devices on the grounds that they cause harm to the environment. The legitimate objective 
is the protection of the environment.  
While disposable vape parts can be recycled, there is not currently sufficient infrastructure 
to deal with the surge in volume of disposable vape purchases through recycling routes. 
When disposed of incorrectly, disposable vapes introduce plastic, nicotine salts, heavy 
metals, lead, mercury, and flammable lithium -ion batteries into the natural environme nt, 
contaminating waterways and soil, posing a risk to the environment and animal health.  
Legislation is needed to steer away from a disposable product to a reusable one that limits 
the impact on the environment. ; Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:   
Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  
Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation - GOV.UK 
(www.gov.uk)  
The Environmental Protection (Single -use Vapes) (England) Regulations 2024 draft SI - 
GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Q3 2024  
Proposed date of entry into force:  April 2025  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
UK TBT Enquiry Point  
Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations  
Department for Business and Trade  
Old Admiralty Building  
London  
SW1A 2DY  
tbtenquiriesuk@businessandtrade.gov.uk  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/GBR/24_02552_00_e.pdf