No traders in Hertfordshire have yet been issued with new £200 fines for the sale of disposable vapes, according to the latest information released by the county council.

But, according to the executive member for public health and community safety, Cllr Ajanta Hilton, "far too many" traders are continuing to sell them.

A national ban on the sale of single-use vapes came into force on June 1. And now any trader caught selling them faces a £200 fine, alongside the seizure of the products.

A response issued by the county council – following a Freedom of Information request – confirms that the county council has not yet issued a £200 fine for the sale of single-use vapes, under the new legislation.

But the Local Democracy Reporting Service has learned that since June, the county council's use of pre-existing powers has led to the seizure of thousands of "illicit disposable vapes" from Hertfordshire traders.

Cllr Hilton said "far too many" traders have continued to sell them.

"While many retailers have complied with the ban on single-use vapes, far too many have continued to sell them, as well as selling vapes that have always been illegal," said Cllr Hilton.

"Those illegal vapes will not have been through the same safety checks as legal ones.

"Since the ban came in on June 1, 2025, our Trading Standards team has seized thousands of illicit disposable vapes."

And highlighting the ongoing work of trading standards officers, she said: "We continue to work to protect our residents, particularly children from the risk posed by non-compliant vapes and will take necessary steps to target businesses that are selling these products.

"Our Trading Standards team recently led a multi-agency operation across Hertfordshire, finding and seizing illicit vapes and tobacco products, disrupting their distribution and bringing those selling them to account."

The ban on single-use vapes was brought in, as concerns grew about the use of single-use vapes by children and the impact of their disposal on the environment.

Before the ban, it had been estimated that around five million single-use vapes were being thrown away each week. And the ban is designed to reduce environmental waste.

 County council officials stress that businesses that are unclear about the regulations and their responsibilities can obtain advice and support from trading standards "to help them operate in a safe and legal way".