Ban on disposable e-cigarettes in the UK: Environmental Action Germany calls for a ban in Germany too

The DUH's call for a ban on disposable e-cigarettes is supported by a broad alliance of 16 organizations.

Deutsche Umwelthilfe

Berlin, May 30, 2025: Disposable e-cigarettes will be banned in the UK from June 1. The disposable vapes not only lead to huge amounts of unnecessary electronic waste, but can also cause fires if disposed of incorrectly, release harmful substances and endanger the health of young people in particular. This is why Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) is calling on the new German government to ban disposable e-cigarettes in Germany too.

Barbara Metz, Federal Managing Director of DUH, comments:

"In Germany, 60 million disposable e-cigarettes are consumed every year and generate more than 2,000 tons of electronic waste. Almost every day, incorrectly disposed of electronic vapes cause fires in waste garbage cans or sorting facilities. With flavors such as chewing gum, caramel or blueberry, the colorful vapes specifically target young people and endanger their health. Disposable e-cigarettes pose a considerable risk to the environment and health. The new German government must follow the British example and ban disposable e-cigarettes. The easiest way to do this would be to ban them for health protection reasons, as France and Belgium did last year. A ban regulation to protect health has already been classified by the EU Commission as compliant with EU law and therefore offers a high degree of legal certainty. Health Minister Nina Warken would therefore be responsible for a one-way vape ban. The federal states had already called for a ban on disposable e-cigarettes in the Bundesrat last year. Minister Warken should take the vote of the Bundesrat seriously and implement it."