Earl Russell (LD)

My Lords, in opening this group on single-use vape products, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Grey-Thompson, and my noble friend Lady Walmsley for their support for my Amendment 22, which seeks to prohibit the manufacture, supply and sale of pre-filled single-use vape pods. For those who do not understand, these are the sealed plastic cartridges that contain nicotine liquid and which are often discarded once they are empty. They are a pre-filled pod that is plugged into a vape, from which all the nicotine is discharged and it is then thrown away. At first glance, this might seem like a small regulatory change, but it is quite important to our environmental sustainability and to the circular economy. These are key principles which the Government are promoting through the work of their own task force. Single-use vape products are part of the disposable culture of the nicotine world. They are also the key means that big tobacco uses to extract exorbitant profits from their vaping products, profits that have been estimated to be up to 37.1% for vaping products, compared to margins of 8.5% for tobacco products. It is the use of pods that drives these excessive margins. Each tiny cartridge contains plastic, metal and residual nicotine liquid—a trio that makes them almost impossible to recycle effectively, even if somebody was minded to do so. Therefore, each year, millions of these pods end up in landfill or littered on our pavements and in our parks and rivers. They contain materials from lithium to plastic fragments, and they can leak harmful substances into the environment, damaging our ecosystems. Keep Britain Tidy has noted that discarded vapes and waste associated with vaping are one of the fastest-growing forms of street litter. I believe that they should be banned. There are a number of vapes on the market which are refillable from a bottle. This creates a captive market and excess profits for tobacco companies. It is the state that is left to deal with the rubbish and the environmental damage. As I said, this amendment relates to the one I spoke to in the previous group—the two go together. If as a vaper you use liquid, you are saving yourself considerable amounts of money. Some people estimate that, depending on the type of vape used, that could be up to £750 per year. This is a sensible thing to do. It goes along with Amendment 21 and fits with the Government’s desire to have a circular economy. This is not about attacking vapers—this would make it cheaper for those who vape regularly. It would also be better for the environment. I really do not see why the Government do not do this. These products exist. This would not put a particular strain on the manufacturers of vapes; all it would do is stop them getting excess profits and causing unnecessary environmental damage. This is obviously part of a broad sweep of matters being considered by the Circular Economy Taskforce. Is the Minister in a position today, or perhaps at a later stage in the Bill, to update us on where the task force is in relation to pods and vaping and, more generally, on disposable vapes? I would like progress on this issue. I do not think that the process we have now is sustainable. I think we need change and I stand ready to work with the Minister and anybody else, from any party, who wants to take action on these matters.