The German federal government has officially announced its intention to ban disposable e-cigarettes, bowing to mounting pressure from the Bundestag, federal states, and environmental associations. Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for the Environment, confirmed the move during a Bundesrat plenary session on Friday, though she noted that such a ban would likely require approval from the EU Commission.
This commitment comes as the Bundesrat passed the latest amendment to the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act. While the chamber of states had significant concerns and its environment committee initially pushed for immediate inclusion of a ban in the law, the federal government’s pledge was sufficient to secure the amendment’s passage. The committee highlighted the staggering consumption of an estimated 60 million disposable e-cigarettes annually in Germany, arguing that their improper disposal poses a severe threat to the environment and the economy.
A primary driver for the ban is the waste of valuable raw materials like plastics and lithium when these single-use devices are discarded in household trash. More critically, the lithium-ion batteries within them are causing increasingly frequent and costly fires in waste disposal facilities. These fires pose significant risks to employees and result in property damage estimated in the high three-digit million range annually—costs ultimately borne by consumers through higher waste fees. The committee argued that existing take-back obligations are insufficient, as free disposal options are rarely utilized.
The Bundestag had also urged the government to examine a prohibition, pointing to precedents set by France and Belgium. In Germany, the vape market is substantial, with an estimated €2.4 billion in sales this year, though disposables account for only about one-tenth of this figure. Barbara Metz of the German Environmental Aid (DUH) welcomed the announcement as “long overdue,” citing the broad alliance of health and environmental organizations that have campaigned for this measure.
The revised Electrical Equipment Act, expected to largely take effect in early 2026, aims to combat electronic waste more broadly by holding manufacturers accountable for recycling and longevity. It will also require shops selling disposable vapes to set up collection stations, a measure seen as an interim step before a full ban can be implemented.
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