A ban on disposable vapes came into force across the United Kingdom on Sunday as the British government aims to stem their use by children, reduce litter, and prevent the leaking of harmful chemicals into the environment.

The ban makes it illegal for any retailer – online or in-store – to sell vapes, whether they contain nicotine or not. They will still be able to sell reusable vapes.

The crackdown follows the soaring use of disposable vapes in schools and a rising tide of trash as users dispose of the vapes.

It is estimated that as many as 5 million disposable vapes are thrown in bins or littered every week across the UK, rather than being recycled.

A number of countries are seeking to regulate the vape market, which has grown exponentially over the past decade or so.

Australia outlawed the sale of vapes outside pharmacies last year in some of the world’s toughest restrictions on electronic cigarettes, while Belgium became the first European country to ban the use of disposable vapes at the start of this year.

California has been at the forefront of bringing in new regulations in the United States.

The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said usage among young people remained too high, and the ban would “put an end to their alarming rise in school playgrounds and the avalanche of rubbish flooding the nation’s streets”.

Also known as single-use vapes, disposable vapes are non-refillable and unable to be recharged, and are typically thrown away with general waste or just thrown on the street.

Even when they are recycled, they need to be taken apart by hand, while their batteries are a fire risk to recycling facilities and can leak harmful chemicals into the environment and potentially harm wildlife.

Businesses were given six months to prepare for the change by selling any existing stock.

The UK Vaping Industry Association said its members had moved quickly to comply with the June 1 deadline, but warned of “serious unintended consequences” emanating from too much regulation.

“We are concerned that this ban will encourage former smokers who have already transitioned from cigarettes, which kill 220 people every day in the UK, to return to combustible tobacco or opt for unregulated vapes,” said its director general, John Dunne.

Separately, the British government is legislating to potentially restrict the packaging, marketing and flavours of e-cigarettes.

• Euronews with AP