The Latest Breaking News from Material Focus

Britons to buy 8m mini fans this year – but almost half will end up in landfill

Shoppers urged to seek quality products or alternatives as data shows demand surpassing last year’s total

The Guardian - UK · Jul 8

Government urged to crack down on cheap vapes circumventing single-use ban

Vape makers have developed cheap, new styles that meet the legal requirements yet are sold, priced and used in the same way as the disposable models.

Evening Standard · Jun 1

More than 6m vapes and pods discarded weekly in UK despite single-use ban, study finds

Number fell 23% year on year in 2025 but waste companies say recycling systems still under strain from sheer volume

The Guardian - UK · Mar 27

The hottest trend of the summer? Mini fans

IN FOCUS: As temperatures rise across the UK, the miniature fan is having a moment. Katie Rosseinsky explores how they became a summer essential – and asks whether they’re just another throwaway product that’s bad for the environment

The Independent UK · Jul 2, 2025

‘It’s cheap but it’s not disposable’: why fast tech is a growing waste problem

Low-cost and quickly discarded products are playing a key role in world’s fastest-growing waste problem – electronics

The Guardian - UK · Jun 24, 2025

Mini-fans among products fuelling ‘fast tech’ waste crisis, campaigners warn

UK consumers bought 7.1 million mini-fans in the last year, research suggests.

The Independent UK · Jun 23, 2025

Vapers warned not to stockpile ‘fire risk’ disposables before UK ban

The ban, enforced from Sunday, is designed to reduce youth vaping and tackle environmental damage

The Guardian - UK · May 31, 2025

Warning over environmental ‘vapocalypse’ despite ban on disposable versions

Campaigners are concerned consumers may notice no difference between single-use vapes and new models flooding the market.

The Independent UK · May 30, 2025

Safe and easy ways to recycle electricals – and even get money for your old gadgets

From collection bins at your local supermarket to trading in or reselling, there are options for unwanted tech

The Guardian - UK · May 27, 2025

More than a million vapes a day in UK thrown away, says research

From June 2025 it will be illegal to sell single-use vapes to combat environmental damage

The Guardian - UK · Dec 16, 2024