German environmental group urges ban on disposable e-cigarettes

Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has criticized a draft proposal from Germany's Federal Ministry of Agriculture that plans to ban only certain flavors in disposable e-cigarettes, rather than enacting a complete product ban as previously indicated by the federal government. DUH warns this approach is insufficient and will delay solutions to critical health, environmental, and fire safety issues.

According to DUH, the more than 60 million disposable vapes consumed annually in Germany pose health risks to children and adolescents, waste significant resources, and cause nearly daily fires in waste collection vehicles and sorting facilities due to their lithium-ion batteries. The organization is urging the German government to proceed with the product ban for disposable e-cigarettes it had previously announced.

"Banning only flavorings would be a gift to the e-cigarette industry. There is a risk that forbidden flavors will quickly be replaced by others," stated Barbara Metz, Federal Managing Director of DUH. She emphasized that such a ban would not address the addictive substances contained within the devices, their poor ecological footprint, or the fire hazards associated with improper disposal.

DUH also clarified that reports of an impending EU-wide ban on disposable vapes are inaccurate. The organization explained that the EU Battery Regulation, effective February 2027, only mandates that batteries in e-cigarettes must be replaceable, not that the devices themselves must be refillable or easily rechargeable. Therefore, DUH stresses the necessity for Germany to implement its own national ban on disposable e-cigarettes, similar to measures taken in France and Belgium.

Additional countries, including Austria and Ireland, are reportedly considering similar bans. DUH calls on the German government to uphold its commitment to banning disposable e-cigarettes comprehensively to protect public health, the environment, and natural resources.