Colchester Council urged to back calls for vaping ban

Martin Goss branded the single use products an “environmental disaster” and warned of safety hazards to waste collectors.

He has called on Colchester Council to write to north Essex MPs Will Quince, Sir Bernard Jenkin and Dame Priti Patel about the issue.

Mr Goss wants the politicians to urge the Government to outlaw disposable vapes in the UK after initial debates appeared to tail off.

Action - Martin Goss has called on Colchester Council to urge the region's MPs to help ban single use vapes (Image: Newsquest)

He said: “It’s something I feel really passionate about. I go out litter picking every day and every day without fail I find single use vapes on the floor.

“Millions of these are disposed of daily in the UK, just chucked on the floor or in the bin.

“They are a huge environmental disaster. They are harming the environment in Colchester and have become a litter problem.”

Mr Goss said he fears electronic vapes could cause a fire in Colchester Council’s bin lorry fleet and hit out at supermarkets advertising them in plain view.

Ban - calls have been made to outlaw disposable vapes in the UK (Image: Getty Images)

“It is getting more children hooked on smoking than normal cigarettes which could have serious health effects,” he added.

The councillor is now set to propose his motion when full council meets on Wednesday.

The Conservatives’ Parliamentary candidate for Colchester James Cracknell said he hopes the region’s Tory MPs get behind the motion.

He said: “What I want to see in Colchester is a healthier, greener and sportier Colchester and of all three of those, vaping doesn’t help.

Support - Conservative candidate for Colchester James Cracknell (Image: PA)

“We are all affected by single use vapes lying around having been dumped, and also kids using them too. We don’t want them to start vaping.

“You have to balance the fact vaping is healthier than smoking but that doing neither is even healthier.”

Mr Cracknell said he would offer his support towards any call for a ban, adding: “I think the council and the public getting behind this and ahead of the legislation is a great thing.

“Communities acting together create a much more powerful force.”

Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Colchester Pam Cox added: "Those in the vaping industry need to move towards making their products fully recyclable."