California to Phase Out Single-Use Battery Vapes Under New Law

California will prohibit the sale of single-use, battery-powered vapes under legislation signed on Monday by Governor Gavin Newsom, a move aimed at reducing plastic pollution and hazardous waste.

Vapes, also known as electronic cigarettes, are battery-operated devices that deliver aerosolised nicotine or cannabis, frequently mixed with flavourings and other chemicals. Both refillable and disposable versions are on the market.

The new law targets disposable e-cigarettes. It bars the manufacture or import of new or refurbished battery-embedded vapour devices from January 1, 2027, and prohibits retail sales from January 1, 2028.

Enforcement allows local governments or the state to levy fines of $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second and $2,000 for subsequent offences.

The measure applies specifically to disposable e-cigarettes containing tobacco and does not cover vaping devices that contain cannabis.

Disposable vapes are often cheaper and easier to obtain than refillable alternatives, contributing to their widespread use. When discarded, their batteries can pose a fire risk in landfills or leak toxic substances, including lead and lithium, into the environment.

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, who authored the bill, said it would help stop battery acid from single-use vapes leaching into land and waterways.

Nearly 500,000 disposable vapes are thrown away each day in the United States, according to the consumer advocacy group California Public Interest Research Group, or CalPIRG, which backed the legislation.

The California Grocers Association opposed a similar proposal in 2022, warning it could increase tobacco smuggling. Arkan Somo, co-founder of the Neighborhood Market Association, which represents small businesses in the state, said the new bill would burden family-owned shops that sell tobacco products.

"If we're going to take the environment as an excuse to keep banning these products, where is that going to stop?" Somo said. "They're really putting California at a huge disadvantage."