World Environment Day: South London and Maudsley the first Mental Health Trust to abandon the use of single-use vapes
Today is World Environment Day, the theme for 2025 being “ Beat Plastic Pollution ” which is calling for collective action to tackle plastic waste.
An estimated 5 million disposable vapes are thrown away in the UK every week (Material Focus, 2024). Disposables vapes are a single use plastic and contain lithium batteries, presenting a significant challenge to the environment. They are now one of the leading contributors to plastic pollution globally, adding hazardous materials to waste streams and complicating recycling efforts. Unlike other forms of litter, disposable vapes contain complex components that can take hundreds of years to break down once discarded. The long-term implications include an ongoing strain on landfill capacity and increased environmental degradation, with microplastics and heavy metals persisting in ecosystems for generations.
To tackle this issue, this week, the UK Government implemented a ban on disposable vaping devices effective from June 1st, 2025. This measure, introduced by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), targets the environmental impact of these single-use items and aims to reduce the volume of plastic waste they generate.
In 2023, in preparation for this ban and to reduce our impact on the environment, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, were the first Mental Health Trust to abandon the use of single-use vapes in favour of solely providing re-chargeable devices and pods.
W e align with this initiative by actively working with our wards to provide rechargeable vaping devices as part of our smoking cessation services. The Smoke Free Team also maintain a recycling system for used pods and devices, ensuring responsible disposal and minimising our environmental footprint.
Importantly, this aligns with S outh London and Maudsley’s Wheel of Wellbeing, which recognises “Planet Care” as an essential part of supporting positive mental health.
S outh London and Maudsley’s team of Tobacco Dependence Advisors include this within their smoking cessation discussions with patients, raising awareness about the environmental implications of vaping choices and encouraging more sustainable approaches.
To find your local, free stop smoking service, visit https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/ready-to-quit-smoking/find-your-local-stop-smoking-service/ or download the NHS Quit Smoking app.
*Article Written by the Smoke Free Team at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
