Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Disposal of single use vaping products
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Executive Decision Notice – 5 January 2026
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE
PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES
Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by
Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon:
Title of decision CONTRACT FOR THE DISPOSAL OF SINGLE USE VAPING
PRODUCTS
Reference No. 1566
Date of decision Monday 5 January 2026
Call-in expiry date Monday 12 January 2026
Relevant Select
Committee
Residents’ Services Select Committee.
Relevant Wards All
Decision made
Cabinet Members making
the decision
Councillor Jonathan Bianco, Deputy Leader of the Council,
on behalf of the Leader, in consultation with Councillor
Wayne Bridges, Cabinet Member for Community &
Environment
Decision Agreed
The Deputy Leader of the Council, on behalf of the
Leader, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for
Community & Environment:
1) Accepted the additional grant funding allocation of
£700,000 from National Trading Standards to continue
the ongoing work at Heathrow Airport to seize and
destroy illicit vapes, to also be reported to Cabinet; and
2) Agreed to the Direct Award to WasteCare Ltd for the
provision of illegal vapes disposal on behalf of the
London Borough of Hillingdon for the period 20
September 2025 to 20 September 2026 and at the cost
of £150,000 for that period with all other arrangements
remaining as per the existing contractual
arrangements.
Reason for decision The Council has a statutory duty to ensure consumer goods
intended for the UK market are safe and comply with
relevant legislation. Trading Standards Officers conduct
regular checks on imported goods at Heathrow Airport.
Since January 2024, the Council has participated in
Operation Joseph , a national initiative targeting the
importation and supply of unsafe single-use vape products.
These products often fail to meet UK regulations, with issues
Executive Decision Notice – 5 January 2026
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
such as excessive nicotine levels, banned ingredients,
oversized tanks, and hazardous substances like lead,
nickel, and chromium.
The Government has committed additional funding to
support enforcement agencies, including Trading
Standards, Border Force, and HMRC, to tackle illicit trade
and enforce laws such as the ban on disposable vapes. New
legislation will also restrict vape flav ours, introduce plain
packaging, and change retail displays to reduce youth
appeal.
Trading Standards Officers seize and dispose of non-
compliant products at the border in line with the Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. The
Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) oversees
recycling standards and has identified approved facilities for
safe disposal. WasteCare Ltd is the Council’s current
supplier of this service and offers good value for money.
Since the start of the operation, significant quantities of illicit
vapes have been detained at Heathrow Airport. The Council
plans to extend its disposal contract to ensure continuity of
this work, subject to future funding decisions. Further
updates will be provided as the project progresses.
Alternative options
considered and rejected
Other Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities ATFs may
be available. OPSS is satisfied that the suppliers on their list
offer good value for money and have the necessary
expertise to dispose of detained goods.
Classification Part II – Members Only and Not for Publication
Link to associated report That this report be declared as exempt from publication
as it involves the disclosure of information in
accordance with Section 100(A) and paragraph 3 of Part
1 of Schedule 12 (A) to the Local Government Act 1972
(as amended), in that the report contains i nformation
relating to the financial or business affairs of any
particular person (including the authority holding that
information) and that the public interest in withholding
the information outweighs the public interest in
disclosing it.
Relevant Officer contact
& Directorate
Dan Kennedy, Corporate Director, Residents’ Services
Any interest declared by
the Cabinet Member(s) /
dispensation granted
N/A
Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in
[Internal Use only]
Executive Decision Notice – 5 January 2026
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
When can this
decision be
implemented by
officers?
Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only
from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is:
5pm on Monday 12 January 2026
However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a
valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise
the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold.
Councillor scrutiny
call-in of this
decision
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice
may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the
expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above.
Councillors should use the Scrutiny Call-in App (link below) on their
devices to initiate any call-in request. Further advice can be sought
from Democratic Services if required:
Scrutiny Call-In - Power Apps (secure)
Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The
Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access
to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.
This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive
decision, including links to the reports where applicable.
If you would like more information on this decision, please contact
Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email:
democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk.
Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including
Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group
Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the
Council’s website.
Democratic Services
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