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South Yorkshire police seized approximately 1,100 illegal single-use vapes as part of a larger bust that included cigarettes, cannabis-based products, and fake Labubu toys, as reported by the BBC.

"We are out here doing this to ensure the safety of our communities," said Detective Sergeant Donna Simcock, of the South Yorkshire police. "You don't know what is in these vapes and these sort of products."

The sale of single-use vapes has been banned in the U.K. since June as part of the region's goal to protect children's health and reduce damage to the environment.

Vaping poses a risk to the environment and to human health, especially in young people whose brains and bodies are still developing. Vaping has been linked to lung disease and can interfere with brain development. Vaping is heavily marketed to teenagers, and, in addition to lung disease, can cause problems with the heart and puts young people at greater risk for depression and anxiety, as well as addictive behaviors.

Disposable vape cartridges are often discarded improperly, ending up on the street or in landfills, and a recent study showed that approximately 5 million disposable vapes are thrown away every week. Because they contain lithium batteries, they can be hazardous when they end up in landfills or as litter, contributing to e-waste. And when not disposed of properly, they waste resources like lithium and copper that could otherwise be reused.

Plastic vape cartridges can take hundreds of years to decompose, and they break down into microplastics, tiny particles that persist in the environment and are prevalent in the soil, water, and air. And the lithium-ion batteries pose a fire hazard when they are not properly recycled.

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The ban of single-use vapes in the U.K. is a big step toward protecting human health and the environment, and strict enforcement is necessary in order to deter illegal sales. Steep fines were imposed, and arrests were made.

Simcock said that "it is really important for those legitimate businesses to see that we are taking action."

According to the BBC, Nick Johnson, from Doncaster Trading Standards, said, "We work to make sure that Doncaster is a safer place for people to live their lives."

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