Agenda item

10.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Sue Alston, and formally seconded by Councillor Ian Horner, that this Council:-

(a)      notes that, in relation to environmental considerations:-

(i)       disposable vapes are a hazard for waste and litter collection and cause fires in bin lorries;

(ii)       single use vapes are designed as one unit so batteries cannot be separated from the plastic, making them almost impossible to recycle without going through special treatment;

(iii)      the lithium batteries inside the plastic can sharply increase in temperature if crushed and can become flammable; this comes at a cost to the council taxpayer through fire damage to equipment and the specialist treatment needed to deal with hazardous waste; and

(iv)      with 1.3 million disposable vapes thrown away every week, they have also become a regular and obvious item of litter on our streets;

(b)      notes that, in relation to health considerations:-

(i)       there is concern about the impact vaping is having on children and young people; the marketing of vapes with designs and flavours that may appeal to children, in particular those with fruity and bubble gum flavours, and colourful child-friendly packaging, is inappropriate;

(ii)       it is worrying that more and more children – who have never smoked – are starting vaping;

(iii)      in the past few years, vaping among young people has risen; Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) data shows that 8.6% of 11- to 18-year-olds in England vaped in 2022, compared with 4% in 2021, and the Charity also reported that among those who tried vaping, 40.1% had never smoked before; and

(iv)      the Local Government Association has called on its members to step up enforcement to deal with growing numbers of shops selling vapes to children despite the 18-age limit, with many “especially concerned” by child-friendly marketing, including colourful packages; and

(c)      therefore asks the Leader of the Council to write to the Secretary of State asking for single use vapes to be banned and note that, with the EU proposing a ban in 2026 and France rolling out a ban in December 2023, there is a risk that, as markets close, disposable vapes will flood into the UK.

10.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Ruth Milsom, and formally seconded by Councillor Alison Norris, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amendedby:-

1.       the substitution, in sub-paragraph (a)(i), of the word “single-use” for the word “disposable”;

2.       the addition of a new sub-paragraph (a)(iii) as follows, and the re-lettering of original sub-paragraphs (a)(iii) and (iv) as new sub-paragraphs (a)(iv) and (v):-

(iii)      single use vapes are wasteful of critical elements needed in the clean energy transition, with lithium and other critical minerals from vapes discarded in the UK over one year equivalent to 6,200?EV batteries (according to “The Energy Mix” news site);

3.       the addition of a new sub-paragraph (b)(i) as follows:-

(i)       notes Labour's support for a phased smoking ban, increasing the minimum age for buying cigarettes, and its commitment to tackle marketing of vape products to children, and backs their proposals;

4.       the addition of a new sub-paragraph (b)(ii) as follows:-

(ii)       the health advice is clear; vaping is never recommended for children, carrying a risk of future harm and addiction, and young people and those who have never smoked should not vape or be encouraged to vape;

5.       the re-lettering of the original sub-paragraph (b)(i) as a new sub-paragraph (b)(iii).

6.       the addition of a new sub-paragraph (b)(iv) as follows:-

(iv)      Sheffield Youth Cabinet have made combating vaping one of their key priorities and have, with regional partners in collaboration with ASH UK, produced a comprehensive toolkit of resources on how to stop children vaping in response to demands from parents and teachers, and reaffirms this Council’s support for their work;

7.       the re-lettering of original sub-paragraphs (b)(ii) to (iv) as new sub-paragraphs (b)(v) to (vii);

8.       the addition of a new paragraph (c) as follows, and the re-lettering of the original paragraph (c) as a new paragraph (d):-

(c)      calls on the Government to ban the marketing of vaping to children and for flavour descriptors and packaging that resemble confectionary, and images and advertisements designed specifically to target and appeal to children and young people, to be prohibited;

9.       the addition of a new paragraph (e) as follows:-

(e)      notes that the Council Leader and the Chief Executive wrote to Sheffield’s MPs on 17^th October asking them to support government plans to raise the age of sale for tobacco by one year every year, urging them to pledge their support by voting yes to increasing the age of sale of tobacco, and notes that Labour has reaffirmed that its MPs will support the proposed legislation.

10.3

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

10.3.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 69 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members. Although Green Group Members voted for, they voted against Part 3 of the amendment.)

10.4

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)      notes that, in relation to environmental considerations:-

(i)       single-use vapes are a hazard for waste and litter collection and cause fires in bin lorries;

(ii)       single use vapes are designed as one unit so batteries cannot be separated from the plastic, making them almost impossible to recycle without going through special treatment;

(iii)      single use vapes are wasteful of critical elements needed in the clean energy transition, with lithium and other critical minerals from vapes discarded in the UK over one year equivalent to 6,200?EV batteries (according to “The Energy Mix” news site);

(iv)      the lithium batteries inside the plastic can sharply increase in temperature if crushed and can become flammable; this comes at a cost to the council taxpayer through fire damage to equipment and the specialist treatment needed to deal with hazardous waste; and

(v)      with 1.3 million disposable vapes thrown away every week, they have also become a regular and obvious item of litter on our streets;

(b)      notes that, in relation to health considerations:-

(i)       notes Labour's support for a phased smoking ban, increasing the minimum age for buying cigarettes, and its commitment to tackle marketing of vape products to children, and backs their proposals;

(ii)       the health advice is clear; vaping is never recommended for children, carrying a risk of future harm and addiction, and young people and those who have never smoked should not vape or be encouraged to vape;

(iii)      there is concern about the impact vaping is having on children and young people; the marketing of vapes with designs and flavours that may appeal to children, in particular those with fruity and bubble gum flavours, and colourful child-friendly packaging, is inappropriate;

(iv)      Sheffield Youth Cabinet have made combating vaping one of their key priorities and have, with regional partners in collaboration with ASH UK, produced a comprehensive toolkit of resources on how to stop children vaping in response to demands from parents and teachers, and reaffirms this Council’s support for their work;

(v)      it is worrying that more and more children – who have never smoked – are starting vaping;

(vi)      in the past few years, vaping among young people has risen; Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) data shows that 8.6% of 11- to 18-year-olds in England vaped in 2022, compared with 4% in 2021, and the Charity also reported that among those who tried vaping, 40.1% had never smoked before; and

(vii)     the Local Government Association has called on its members to step up enforcement to deal with growing numbers of shops selling vapes to children despite the 18-age limit, with many “especially concerned” by child-friendly marketing, including colourful packages;

(c)      calls on the Government to ban the marketing of vaping to children and for flavour descriptors and packaging that resemble confectionary, and images and advertisements designed specifically to target and appeal to children and young people, to be prohibited;

(d)      therefore asks the Leader of the Council to write to the Secretary of State asking for single use vapes to be banned and note that, with the EU proposing a ban in 2026 and France rolling out a ban in December 2023, there is a risk that, as markets close, disposable vapes will flood into the UK; and

(e)      notes that the Council Leader and the Chief Executive wrote to Sheffield’s MPs on 17th October asking them to support government plans to raise the age of sale for tobacco by one year every year, urging them to pledge their support by voting yes to increasing the age of sale of tobacco, and notes that Labour has reaffirmed that its MPs will support the proposed legislation.

10.4.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote on the Substantive Motion was FOR - 67 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members.  Although Green Group Members voted for, they voted against sub-paragraph (b)(i) of the Substantive Motion.)

(Footnote: At the meeting of the Council held on 7th February 2024 when approving these minutes, it was agreed that a footnote be inserted into the minutes, under the resolution at item 10, suggesting that, to more accurately reflect the collaborative nature of the work in question, the words “, working alongside Public Health,” should have been included in the text in sub-paragraph (b)(iv), after the words “Sheffield Youth Cabinet”.  This also applies to Part 6 of the amendment moved by Councillor Ruth Milsom in section 10.2 of these minutes.)