Issue - meetings

Notice of Motion by Councillor Kairin van Sweeden – referred from Council meeting of 26 April

1.        Notes the adverse environmental effects of single use vapes which cause considerable levels of additional litter on our streets and in other public places as well as having a detrimental impact on public health;

2.        Notes that research by Material Focus, an independent not-for-profit organisation, has identified that 1.3 million single use vapes are thrown away every week in the UK.

3.        Understands that single use vapes pose a number of concerns, including but not limited to;

a.        The loss of critical raw materials such as Lithium and Copper

b.        The impacts of hazardous waste

c.        The loss of plastic

d.        Fire risk

4.        Welcomes the decision by the Scottish Government to commission a review, led by Zero Waste Scotland into the environmental impacts and management of single use vapes.

5.        Instructs the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to write to the Scottish Government, as part of their review of the environmental impacts and management of single use vapes, expressing Aberdeen City Council’s support for a proposed ban on single use vapes and management of single-use vapes, and to support measures to ban their sale.

6.        Instructs the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to report to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee outlining any policy implications of a ban for the Council and to prepare a Council communications campaign highlighting the environmental and health impacts of single-use vapes; and

7.        Instructs the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to write to Lorna Slater MSP, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity in the Scottish Government, and to Iain Gulland, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zero Waste Scotland, making them aware that Aberdeen City Council supports a ban on single use vapes.

(i)       to note the adverse environmental effects of single use vapes which cause considerable levels of additional litter on our streets and in other public places as well as having a detrimental impact on public health;

(ii)       to note that research by Material Focus, an independent not-for-profit organisation, has identified that 1.3 million single use vapes are thrown away every week in the UK;

(iii)      to understand that single use vapes pose a number of concerns, including but not limited to;

a.        The loss of critical raw materials such as Lithium and Copper

b.        The impacts of hazardous waste

c.        The loss of plastic

d.        Fire risk

(iv)      to welcome the decision by the Scottish Government to commission a review, led by Zero Waste Scotland into the environmental impacts and management of single use vapes;

(v)      to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to write to the Scottish Government, as part of their review of the environmental impacts and management of single use vapes, expressing Aberdeen City Council’s support for a proposed ban on single use vapes and management of single-use vapes, and to support measures to ban their sale;

(vi)      to instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to report to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee outlining any policy implications of a ban for the Council and to prepare a Council communications campaign highlighting the environmental and health impacts of single-use vapes; and

(vii)     to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to write to Lorna Slater MSP, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity in the Scottish Government, and to Iain Gulland, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zero Waste Scotland, making them aware that Aberdeen City Council supports a ban on single use vapes.

With reference to the meeting of Council of 26 April 2023, the Committee had before it a Notice of Motion by Councillor van Sweeden in the following terms:-

That Committee:-

(a)      note the adverse environmental effects of single use vapes which caused considerable levels of additional litter on our streets and in other public places as well as having a detrimental impact on public health;

(b)      note that research by Material Focus, an independent not-for-profit organisation, had identified that 1.3 million single use vapes were thrown away every week in the UK;

(c)      understand that single use vapes posed a number of concerns, including but not limited to;

a.        The loss of critical raw materials such as Lithium and Copper

b.        The impacts of hazardous waste

c.        The loss of plastic

d.        Fire risk

(d)      welcome the decision by the Scottish Government to commission a review, led by Zero Waste Scotland into the environmental impacts and management of single use vapes;

(e)      instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to write to the Scottish Government, as part of their review of the environmental impacts and management of single use vapes, expressing Aberdeen City Council’s support for a proposed ban on single use vapes and management of single-use vapes, and to support measures to ban their sale;

(f)       instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to report to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee outlining any policy implications of a ban for the Council and to prepare a Council communications campaign highlighting the environmental and health impacts of single-use vapes; and

(g)      instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to write to Lorna Slater MSP, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity in the Scottish Government, and to Iain Gulland, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zero Waste Scotland, making them aware that Aberdeen City Council supports a ban on single use vapes.

The Committee heard from Councillor van Sweeden in relation to her Notice of Motion.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the Notice of Motion.